AAP takes Patiala, 4 other MCs deliver hung verdict in polls marred by violence

Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party secured a resounding victory in the Patiala Municipal Corporation poll on Saturday whereas the Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara corporations delivered a hung verdict in the elections marred by sporadic violence.

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A turnout of 65.85 per cent was recorded in the urban local body polls — municipal councils and nagar panchayats included — in which more than 3,300 candidates were in the fray. A total of 37.32 lakh voters, including 17.75 lakh females, were eligible to cast their vote in the elections conducted using electronic voting machines.

Of the 60 wards in Patiala, the home turf of former Congress CM-turned-BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh, AAP registered victory in 43, much above the majority mark of 31. The Congress and the BJP won four wards each while the SAD secured win in two. The elections in seven wards were deferred earlier. Indicating disenchantment with parties, the urban voters in the other four corporations didn’t give a clear majority to any outfit. In the 95-ward Ludhiana MC, AAP scored 41, seven short of the majority mark of 48. The Congress secured 30 wards, BJP 19, SAD two and Independents three.

The ruling AAP trailed the opposition Congress in the 50-member Phagwara MC where the magic mark stood at 26. The Congress candidates won in 22 wards, AAP 12, BJP four, BSP three, SAD three and Independents six. The Congress was ahead of AAP in Amritsar too. In the 85-ward House, the Congress secured victory in 38 wards, followed by AAP in 24, BJP 10, SAD four and others nine. In the 85-ward Jalandhar MC, AAP was the top scorer at 38, but missed the majority mark of 43 by five. The Congress won in 25 wards, BJP 19, BSP one and Independents two.

The total polling percentage of the five MCs stood at 45.88 per cent. Separately, Phagwara logged 55.21 per cent, Jalandhar 50.27 per cent, Amritsar 44.05 per cent, Ludhiana 46.95 per cent and Patiala 32.95 per cent.

In the municipal council elections, AAP lost in its “political capital” Sangrur — its second consecutive defeat after the Barnala Assembly bypoll. Ten independent candidates won in Sangrur, which is the home district of CM Bhagwant Mann, AAP Punjab chief Aman Arora and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema.

Interestingly, Ludhiana voters seemed to have rejected dynastic politics as the wives of two AAP MLAs — Gurpreet Singh Gogi and Ashok Parashar — lost the MC polls, as did the spouse of former Congress minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

The elections to the five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, besides bypolls to 49 wards of other urban civic bodies, were held today. Most of these bodies, elected in 2018, were ruled by the Congress till the end of their term in 2023. In the municipal councils and the nagar panchayats, the results are likely to be a mixed bag for both AAP and Congress. The BJP, which was hopeful of big gains, seems to have won only sporadically — in Jalandhar and Ludhiana MCs, 19 wards each.

“AAP has created history in Punjab’s local body elections, securing victory in 50 per cent of the 977 wards. This resounding victory is a testament to AAP’s pro-people governance and commitment to transparent politics. In Patiala and Jalandhar, we have performed exceptionally well,” said Aman Arora.