The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured a dominant victory in Punjab’s civic elections on Friday, winning more than 48 percent of the municipal wards and emerging as the clear winner across the state. The party captured 957 wards, far ahead of its rivals, while the Congress finished a distant second with 397 wards.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a major setback and slipped to fifth position in the overall tally. Independent candidates and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) both finished ahead of the BJP.
Following the landslide victory, AAP workers celebrated at party offices across Punjab. Supporters danced to the beats of dhols, distributed sweets, and marked the party’s strong performance with festivities.
Kejriwal Takes Swipe at BJP
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal thanked the people of Punjab for supporting the party and used the occasion to criticize the BJP.
“The ED party has been wiped out. The ED party, which harassed people by conducting so many raids on small traders in Punjab, has today been avenged by the people,” Kejriwal said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also welcomed the results. He said voters had rejected divisive politics and that the “politics of hatred” had been defeated.
Party-Wise Performance
A total of 1,977 wards went to polls in the civic elections. According to the Punjab State Election Commission, the results stood as follows:
- AAP – 957 wards
- Congress (INC) – 397 wards
- Independents – 251 wards
- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – 191 wards
- BJP – 167 wards
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) – 7 wards
AAP's tally of 957 wards gave it a commanding lead over every other political party. Congress remained in second place, while Independent candidates secured a notable number of victories by winning 251 wards.
Polls Held Across 102 Municipal Bodies
The elections covered 102 municipal bodies across Punjab. Voting took place on May 26 in 1,897 wards spread across eight municipal corporations and dozens of local urban bodies.
The municipal corporations included:
- Mohali
- Bathinda
- Abohar
- Barnala
- Kapurthala
- Moga
- Batala
- Pathankot
Apart from these, voters also elected representatives to 75 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats. Candidates in 80 wards won unopposed. At the time of reporting, final results for the eight municipal corporations were still awaited.
AAP Performs Strongly in Sangrur
AAP delivered a particularly strong performance in Sangrur district. The party established decisive leads across four municipalities—Sunam, Dhuri, Bhawanigarh, and Longowal.
Together, these municipalities account for 74 wards, and AAP maintained a firm grip throughout the counting process.
Pathankot Sees Major Shift
One of the most notable outcomes came from Pathankot, traditionally considered a BJP stronghold.
AAP won 23 of the city's 50 wards, emerging as the leading party. Congress secured 12 wards, while the BJP managed only eight seats, highlighting a significant shift in local political support.
AAP Dominates Mohali
AAP also recorded a commanding performance in the Mohali Municipal Corporation.
The party won more than 20 seats in the 50-member civic House, establishing a clear majority. Among the prominent AAP winners were Sunny Singh Ahluwalia from Ward No. 6 and Sarabjeet Singh Samana from Ward No. 42.
The results underline AAP’s continued political strength in Punjab and provide a major boost to the party ahead of future electoral contests in the state.