AAP Sweeps Punjab Civic Polls Winning 862 Wards

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered a sweeping victory in the Punjab municipal elections, winning 862 wards across 102 civic bodies, while the Congress emerged a distant second, according to results declared on Friday. The elections, held on May 26 across multiple urban local bodies, are being viewed as an early political test for the ruling party ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly polls. The counting process began at 8 am under tight security arrangements across the state.

Out of 1,765 wards counted so far from a total of 1,977, AAP secured a clear lead by winning 862 seats. The Congress followed with 348 wards, while independent candidates emerged as a significant force with 242 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 169 wards, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) secured 138 and six seats, respectively. The results reflected a fragmented opposition, with the AAP maintaining dominance in key urban regions.

In several major civic bodies, AAP recorded strong performances, including in Barnala, where it won 36 out of 50 wards, and in Bathinda, where it secured 14 of 21 seats. In Moga, the party reportedly crossed the majority mark required for mayoral control. In Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s constituency of Dhuri, AAP won 20 of the 21 seats, strengthening its hold in politically significant areas of the state.

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The Pathankot Municipal Corporation witnessed a closely fought triangular contest among AAP, Congress, and BJP. The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 10 seats, followed by the BJP with nine, while AAP secured five wards. Other corporations, including Mohali, Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar, also saw mixed outcomes, though AAP maintained an overall lead in several councils and panchayats across the state.

Voter turnout in the elections stood at 63.94 per cent overall, with Nagar Panchayats recording the highest participation at 76.18 per cent. Municipal councils registered 65.06 percent turnout, while municipal corporations saw 59.91 percent voting. According to the State Election Commission, over 7,500 candidates contested across 102 civic bodies, covering more than 1,897 wards in total.

Reacting to the results, Punjab Congress President Raja Warring said the party’s performance across key cities such as Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar was encouraging despite the outcome. He alleged misuse of official machinery by the ruling party during the elections and praised party workers for their efforts. Meanwhile, AAP leaders hailed the results as a strong endorsement of the government’s performance, claiming it reflected public support for its governance model ahead of the next Assembly elections.

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