1952 Patiala and East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly election

27 March 1952
All 60 seats in the Patiala and East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly 31 seats needed for a majority
Registered	1,763,531
Turnout	58.93%
Majority party Minority party   Party INC Akali Dal Seats won 26 19 Popular vote 28.66 23.44%
CM before election Raghbir Singh INC Elected CM Gian Singh Rarewala

Indian administrative divisions, as of 1951

Elections to the Patiala and East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly were held on 27 March 1952. 374 candidates competed for the 50 constituencies in the Assembly. There were 10 two-member constituencies and 40 single-member constituencies.^[1]

Results

Summary of results of the 1952 Patiala & East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly election^[1]

	Political party	Flag	Seats Contested	Won	% of Seats	Votes	Vote %
	Indian National Congress		51	26	43.33	3,88,185	28.66
	Akali Dal		41	19	31.67	3,17,502	23.44
	Bharatiya Jana Sangh		23	2	3.33	43,809	3.23
	Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party		15	1	1.67	20,179	1.49
	Communist Party of India		14	2	3.33	64,652	4.77
	Lal Communist Party Hind Union		5	1	1.67	21,539	1.59
	Scheduled Caste Federation		7	1	1.67	47,216	3.49
	Independent		188	8	13.33	3,96,956	29.31
Total seats			60	Voters	22,98,385	Turnout	13,54,476 (58.93%)

Elected members

United Democratic Front

After the elections, Congress party emerged as the single largest party, but in the absence of majority, Gian Singh Rarewala formed the government with the support of Akali Dal, Communist Party of India, Lal Communist Party Hind Union, Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party and Independents on 22 April 1952. The coalition was named as United Democratic Front. Thus, he became the first non-Congress Chief Minister of any state in independent India.^[2]

See also

• Patiala and East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly
• 1951–52 elections in India
• 1952 Punjab Legislative Assembly election
• 1954 Patiala and East Punjab States Union Legislative Assembly election

References