AAP battles to keep Tarn Taran seat as Akalis look for revival

Campaigning for the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll ended on Sunday evening. The high-voltage contest has kept political parties on edge. However, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has pulled out all stops to retain the seat, is facing anxious moments as the constituency heads to vote with its key opponent, the SAD, showing signs of revival.

Political observers feel that for AAP, a defeat would carry symbolic weight, not affecting the government’s majority in the Assembly but delivering a significant political embarrassment and giving ammunition to the opposition. And for this reason, the desperation shown by AAP leaders was quite evident.

On the other hand, a win here would help it claim that public confidence in the government remains intact. The party has used every possible measure to secure victory, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several top leaders camping in Tarn Taran through the campaign.

The byelection has taken a dramatic turn in its final days. The suspension of Tarn Taran SSP just three days before polling, following Shiromani Akali Dal’s allegations of partisanship and harassment of its supporters, added to the political tension.

For opposition parties, a win would signal a shift in the public mood ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The SAD, once pushed to the margins, appears to have regained some lost ground, with a visible revival of grassroots enthusiasm.

“The result will also be watched closely to gauge the remaining support for the Waris Punjab De faction, whose influence seems to have decreased since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said Satbir Singh, a retired school teacher.

The Congress, which began its campaign on a strong note marked by rare unity among its leaders, appears to have lost momentum in recent days. A series of controversial remarks by PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has also dented the party’s campaign.

The BJP too has taken the election campaign seriously with Chief Ministers of Delhi and Haryana along with several Union ministers had campaigned for its candidate. With the campaign now over, the contest has shifted from rallies to living rooms and village squares as the final word rests with the voters of Tarn Taran.