Punjab civic polls: AAP wins over 690 wards, counting of votes underway

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) surged ahead in Punjab’s civic body elections on Friday, 29 May, winning more than 690 wards and maintaining leads in several others as vote counting progressed.

AAP workers celebrated the party’s performance by distributing sweets and dancing to the beats of the dhol. Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia thanked voters for placing their trust in party chief Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

“People of Punjab have replied to the ‘ED party’ (BJP). ‘ED politics’ will not work in Punjab,” Sisodia said, claiming that 1,142 BJP candidates had lost their security deposits.

Counting began at 8.00 am amid tight security arrangements, officials said. Polling for 102 municipal bodies covering 1,897 wards across eight municipal corporations — Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala and Pathankot — along with 75 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats, was held through ballot papers on 26 May. The elections recorded a voter turnout of 63.94 per cent.

The local body polls, viewed as politically significant for AAP, BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ahead of next year’s Punjab Assembly elections, saw 7,554 candidates contesting.

Of the 1,977 wards, candidates in 80 were elected unopposed. According to data released by the Punjab State Election Commission, AAP had secured victories in 698 wards. Congress candidates won 281 wards, while Independents emerged victorious in 217. SAD candidates won 150 wards, BJP candidates 79 and BSP nominees six.

AAP delivered a strong performance in the Gidderbaha Municipal Council, winning 17 of the 19 wards, while Congress managed only two. Gidderbaha is considered a political bastion of Punjab Congress chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

In Dhuri Municipal Council, AAP won 19 wards, with Independents taking the remaining two. Mann represents the Dhuri Assembly constituency.

However, in Chamkaur Sahib Municipal Council, Congress led the field with seven wards, while AAP and Independents secured three each. Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi is a former MLA from the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly segment.

Reacting to the trends and results, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said voters had endorsed the AAP government’s performance and “shown the mirror” to opposition parties. He also asserted that the civic elections had been conducted in a transparent and fair manner.

Officials said two micro observers had been deployed at each counting centre under the supervision of the district general observer. Access to counting halls has been restricted to authorised personnel only, they added.

Ahead of the polls, opposition parties had accused the AAP government of misusing official machinery during the election process.

The civic polls are being seen as an important political barometer for the ruling party as it seeks to retain power in Punjab in next year’s Assembly elections.

With PTI inputs