Aam Aadmi Party Achieves Victory in Patiala Civic Polls and Leads in Ludhiana and Jalandhar

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has emerged victorious in the municipal elections in Patiala, Punjab. They also lead in Ludhiana and Jalandhar. Meanwhile, the Congress party is ahead in Phagwara and Amritsar. Elections were held for five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Punjab on Saturday.

In Patiala, AAP secured 43 out of 53 wards, paving the way for them to elect their mayor. The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) each won four wards, while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed two. In Ludhiana, AAP led with 42 out of 95 wards. Congress won 29 wards, followed by BJP with 19, Independents with three, and SAD with two.

Election Results Across Punjab

In Jalandhar, AAP won 39 out of 85 wards. Congress and BJP secured 24 and 19 wards respectively. However, Congress took the lead in Amritsar with 40 wards, while AAP won 28 and BJP claimed 10 out of the total 85 wards. In Phagwara's 50-ward corporation, no party reached the majority mark of 26. Congress emerged as the largest party with 22 wards.

AAP managed to win 12 wards in Phagwara, while BJP secured four and SAD three. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also won three wards. Aman Arora, Punjab AAP President, stated that his party made history by winning over half of the 977 wards contested in these elections.

Claims of Irregularities

Arora expressed that this victory reflects AAP's commitment to transparent governance. He congratulated Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, and all winning candidates for their success. "Heartfelt congratulations to Arvind Kejriwal ji, Bhagwant Mann ji, and all the winning candidates for Punjab AAP’s splendid victory in the municipal elections," he said.

Polling was conducted from 7 am to 4 pm under tight security arrangements. By 3 pm, voter turnout averaged at 55%. Over 3,300 candidates contested across more than 3,800 polling booths using electronic voting machines (EVMs). Approximately 37.32 lakh voters were eligible to vote.

Allegations of Misconduct

Opposition parties BJP and SAD accused AAP of facilitating fake voting in Patiala. These allegations were denied by AAP. Reports also surfaced of altercations between AAP and BJP supporters in Patiala. BJP candidate Sushil Nayyar threatened self-immolation over alleged fake voting at a polling booth.

BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur demanded police action against outsiders allegedly present in Patiala during polling. After Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh arrived at the scene, Kaur argued that people were entering polling booths without verification to cast fake votes.

Kaur also accused AAP MLAs Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Gurlal Ghanaur of being outsiders present in Ward No. 40. The BJP filed a complaint against them with the state election commission for violating the model code of conduct.

The BJP further alleged that its nominee from Ward No. 40 was targeted by miscreants at AAP's behest. SAD claimed vandalism at its booth in Ward No. 15 in Patiala. The BJP sought an FIR against Mani Warring and others for alleged bogus voting in Ward No. 9 at Amloh.

This election has highlighted significant political shifts within Punjab's urban areas as parties vie for control over local governance structures.