Chandigarh, Feb 27 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance was set to form the new government in Punjab after taking early leads as counting of votes in the state assembly poll began Tuesday.

Early trends showed the Akalis, led by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, and BJP were leading in nearly 70 out of 102 seats for which trends were available. The ruling Congress was ahead in about 35 seats.

Akali MP Sukhbir Badal, son of likely chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, said at his residence here that he knew that the Akali-BJ alliance would do well in the election despite exit polls showing a neck and neck fight.

"It is a bright day for the Akali-BJP alliance. Our government will focus on development of Punjab. Economy is the name of the game," Sukhbir Badal said, indicating a shift in the Akali ideology from religion to economics.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu of BJP was leading over his Congress rival and Punjab Finance Minister Surinder Singla in the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-election.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of the Congress was leading in the Patiala assembly seat by over 3,000 votes over his Akali Dal rival.

Akali Dal leader and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was leading over his first cousin and Congress candidate Mahesh Inder Singh Badal in Lambi.

Jasbir Singh Khangura, who gave up his British citizenship to contest on a Congress ticket, was trailing in the Qila Raipur seat.

Former Akali Dal finance minister Kanwaljit Singh was leading from Banur. State Congress president in Punjab Shamsher Singh Dullo was trailing on the Khanna (reserved) seat.

Deputy chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal of Congress was leading in the Lehra seat over Prem Singh Chandumajra of the Akali Dal.

There were nearly 1,050 candidates in Punjab. Over 76 percent of the 16.6 million voters exercised their franchise Feb 13. The voting percentage this time was an all-time record.

Polling for Valtoha assembly segment in the border district of Tarn Taran was held Feb 24 with over 82 percent polling.

Voting for the Beas seat in Amritsar district was postponed to March 11 following violence.