60.95% turnout in Tarn Taran; polling peaceful

The much-watched byelection in the Tarn Taran Assembly segment concluded this evening with nearly 60.95 per cent voter turnout recorded till 6 pm. In comparison, the turnout during the 2022 Assembly elections stood at 65.90 per cent.

The polling process remained largely peaceful, although the day was not without controversy as the SAD accused the ruling AAP of using the police to intimidate its workers.

SAD leaders alleged that police officials frisked their workers stationed at booths and threatened them under political pressure. “The ruling party used the police to influence the atmosphere at various booths,” said Kanchanpreet Kaur, who managed the campaign for her mother, SAD candidate Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa.

The byelection has drawn statewide attention not merely for determining who wins the seat, but also for who secures the second position, a factor many see as a crucial indicator of Punjab’s evolving political currents.

“This result will offer a glimpse of what may lie ahead in 2027. It will also shape the course of Panthic politics. Between the SAD and hardliner groups, the one securing more votes today will likely claim greater influence over the Panthic vote base in the coming years,” observed a political analyst.

A visit to various villages in the constituency revealed subtle but significant shifts in voter sentiment. The BJP, once considered politically “untouchable” in the border belt following the farmers’ agitation in Delhi, appeared to have regained some ground. Party booths were seen active in several areas, with both Dalit and Jat community members participating in the campaign.

In contrast, the once surging appeal of the Waris Punjab De (WPD) outfit seemed to have waned since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Many of its booths were conspicuously absent and its cadre less visible on polling day.

With five main contenders -- AAP, SAD, WPD, Congress and the BJP -- the political arithmetic suggests a closely fought contest, where victory margins may remain narrow. For now, Tarn Taran waits for the verdict that could reshape the political equations of Punjab’s border region. The counting of votes would be held on November 14.