High-stakes bypoll result today

All eyes are on Tarn Taran as the stage is set for the counting of votes in the high-stakes Assembly by-election on Friday. The outcome is expected to shape the political undercurrents in the state’s sensitive border belt and set the tone for the 2027 Assembly polls.

The battle for the Tarn Taran seat has been nothing short of riveting, a multi-cornered contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Waris Punjab De (WPD), the Congress and the BJP.

While AAP hopes to retain its grip on the seat, the SAD is seeking a symbolic comeback in one of its old bastions.

“It is one of the most unpredictable contests Punjab has seen in recent times. People are eager to know if the SAD can spring a surprise, whether the WPD candidate can repeat the 2024 performance and if not, how much appeal the group still holds, or if AAP manages to hold on, and by what margin,” said a political observer.

The election is also significant for the BJP, which campaigned with renewed energy and aims to expand its vote base in this traditionally panthic seat. Party insiders believe the result will help shape its strategy in rural Punjab.

For the Congress, the bypoll outcome could trigger introspection, once again. Once a dominant force in the region, the party will have to examine why its momentum appeared to falter towards the end of the campaign despite starting on a strong note.

The counting will begin at 8 am under tight security, with early trends likely to emerge within an hour. Analysts say the Tarn Taran result will be more than just a bypoll verdict. It will serve as a mirror reflecting voter sentiment in the Majha region, long regarded as a barometer of Punjab’s political direction.