New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered a resounding victory in the Punjab civic body elections, dominating urban local bodies across the state
and signaling strong public endorsement for the Bhagwant Mann-led government. Counting of votes for 102 urban local bodies — including 8 municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils, and 19 nagar panchayats — began on Friday morning, with AAP emerging as the clear winner in a majority of wards.
According to the latest figures from the State Election Commission, AAP secured 954 wards out of approximately 1,963 declared out of 1,977 total wards. The Indian National Congress (INC) finished a distant second with 393 seats, while Independents won 251. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managed 192, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 172 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) just 7.
Punjab civic body elections
The elections, held on May 26, saw over 21 lakh voters cast their ballots to elect representatives for these civic bodies. AAP’s performance was particularly dominant in municipal councils and nagar panchayats, where it reportedly swept over 90 per cent in several areas. The party also made significant inroads in key districts, including strong showings in Ludhiana and other urban centres.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hailed the results as a “massive victory” and a stamp of approval for hisgovernment’s work in healthcare, education and employment generation. Addressing the media, Mann said the people’s mandate reflected satisfaction with initiatives like improved mohalla clinics and infrastructure development. He described the outcome as a precursor to even greater success in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Congress suffers setback, BJP records gains
Congress, which had dominated the previous civic polls in 2021 with over 1,400 seats, suffered a sharp decline. Party leaders expressed disappointment but pointed to internal challenges and alleged misuse of government machinery by the ruling AAP. Opposition parties, including SAD and BJP, raised concerns over irregularities, but they acknowledged the tough fight. It is important to note that BJP achieved its highest-ever independent tally in Punjab civic polls. It performed relatively better in areas like Pathankot, even as many of its candidates lost deposits elsewhere.
