Cong says party gaining strength in urban areas

Even as the Aam Admi Party (AAP) has secured the highest win in the civic body polls, Punjab Congress leaders on Sunday claimed it was still in reckoning among the urban voters as it has secured win in 121 wards compared to 158 won by AAP in five municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Phagwara Ludhiana and Patiala. The results of 368 wards out of the total 375 in the five municipal corporations have been declared.

Earlier, the Congress was in the majority in four of the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Phagwara, Ludhiana and Patiala, before these were dissolved.

Drive to expose misuse of power

PPCC president Amrinder Raja Warring on Sunday said the party would launch a statewide drive to expose the alleged misuse of official machinery by AAP during the civic body polls

Congress leaders said the poor performance of AAP in the Sangrur Municipal Council was a testimony to the declining popularity of the ruling party, as the area is referred to as political capital of AAP. PPCC chief Amrinder Raja Warring and CLP leader Partap Bajwa said despite the misuse of official machinery, the Congress had got the highest win in Amritsar and Phagwara MCs.

Claiming that the party would have its mayor in Amritsar and Phagwara, Warring, who is an MP from Ludhiana, said the party had won in 30 wards compared to 41 won by AAP in Ludhiana MC.

Bajwa said despite being in power, urban voters had not given an absolute majority to AAP, indicating that anti-incumbency was at play. In Jalandhar, the performance of the party in the wards falling in the Assembly segments of MLAs Pargat Singh and Avtar Singh Junior Henry has not been up to mark. The CLP leader said the party could have performed better in Jalandhar. The party has won in 25 wards in Jalandhar, while AAP 38.

Countering the BJP's claim of increasing acceptability in urban areas, both the leaders said the urban voters had opted for the Congress instead of the saffron party. In Patiala, the PPCC chief said over 40 party candidates were not allowed to file nominations and this effected the results.

Meanwhile, the party has got a majority in 66 municipal councils or nagar panchayats compared to 357 by AAP.