The results of the recent rural local body polls in Punjab have sparked excitement for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), brought relief to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) disappointed. Opposition parties have accused the AAP government, led by Bhagwant Mann, of “excesses.” The principal opposition party, Congress, which finished well behind, claimed these polls are “not a true reflection of the government’s popularity.”
The panchayat poll results have reignited discussions about a possible alliance between the Akali Dal and the BJP. The AAP celebrated the results as a “grand victory,” asserting they demonstrate a “lack of anti-incumbency” after nearly four years in office. Meanwhile, Sukhbir Badal’s SAD, attempting to overhaul its image after internal strife, believes the results indicate the party is “moving toward victory” in the upcoming 2027 Assembly elections.
On December 14, voters participated in elections for 347 zila parishads and 2,838 panchayat samitis, with vote counting beginning soon after. The final results, released on Thursday, revealed the AAP won 218 zila parishads, while the Congress and SAD secured 62 and 46, respectively. The BJP managed only seven, and the BSP captured three. Additionally, ten independent candidates were elected to the district panchayat polls. The election in Khadoor Sahib did not take place, as all candidate nominations were deemed invalid.
The AAP also emerged victorious in 1,531 panchayat samitis, with the Congress and SAD securing 612 and 445, respectively. The BJP won 73, while the BSP and independents took 28 and 144, respectively. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal regarded the outcome as evidence of a “wave in favor of the AAP” and lauded the performance of the Bhagwant Mann government. He noted the current polls were held four years after his party assumed power, unlike previous elections in 2013 and 2018.
However, several AAP candidates lost in strongholds of senior party leaders. In the village of Sandhwan, where Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan hails from, the SAD triumphed over the AAP by 171 votes. In Sangrur, CM Mann’s constituency, the AAP lost the block samiti election to the SAD, and in Bharaj, AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj’s native village, the party fell to Congress.
Congress, finishing second, alleged that the AAP misused electoral machinery. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring remarked, “The AAP can claim victory, but they know in their hearts these polls mean nothing.” He highlighted issues like opposition candidates being barred from filing nomination papers and narrow margins of victory in several regions. Senior Congress leader and Assembly Opposition Leader Partap Singh Bajwa criticized the AAP’s approach, suggesting it undermined grassroots democracy.
The SAD found some solace in its resurgence in the critical Malwa region, which had been its stronghold. After a poor performance in the 2022 Assembly polls, where it won only three seats, the SAD claimed recovery is underway, winning 13 out of 17 zila parishads in Bathinda and making impressive gains in other districts. Senior SAD leader Parambans Bunty Romana mentioned that they were on track to install zila parishad chairpersons in three districts despite being in the opposition, asserting that even a few victories send a significant message.
SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema credited their performance to understanding voter sentiment, noting they emerged victorious under government pressure and accusations of democracy being compromised during the elections.
For the BJP, the results presented a mixed outcome, increasing its tally from two to seven in zila parishads and from 63 to 73 in block samitis. Although the party had some successes in traditional areas, it faltered in others. In Pathankot, a stronghold for state BJP working president Ashwani Kumar, the party won four out of ten zila parishads and 20 of 60 block samitis. However, in Patiala, the home district of former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, the BJP only won a single block samiti seat and failed to secure any zila parishad seats.
A senior BJP leader noted that the results validate Amarinder’s assertion that the BJP needs the SAD to form a stable government in 2027, indicating weakening strongholds as the party tries to expand its reach. While Romana dismissed speculation about a SAD-BJP alliance, stating their focus was on internal strengths, BJP general secretary Anil Sarin acknowledged the unfavorable numbers but expressed satisfaction in reaching out to every village and emphasized their commitment to all 117 Assembly seats for the 2027 polls.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/punjab-rural-poll-landslide-boosts-aap-run-for-2027-cong-totters-sad-bounces-back-in-malwa-10428039/
Category: Political Pulse
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Publish Date: 2025-12-19 07:32:00
