Tribune News Service
Chandigarh: Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party secured a resounding victory in the Patiala Municipal Corporation elections on Saturday whereas the Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara corporations delivered a hung verdict in a polling process marred by sporadic incidents of violence.
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, which is the home turf of former Congress CM-turned-BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh, AAP registered a 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 various political parties, the urban voters in the other four municipal corporations didn’t give a clear majority to any outfit. In the 95-ward Ludhiana MC, AAP score stood at 41, seven short of the majority mark of 48. The Congress secured 30 wards, BJP 19, SAD two while three wards chose Independents.
The ruling AAP trailed opposition Congress in the 50-member Phagwara MC where the magic mark stood at 26. The Congress candidates won in 22 wards, AAP in 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, 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.
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 Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, AAP Punjab chief Aman Arora and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema.
Interestingly, Ludhiana voters seem to have rejected dynastic politics as the wives of two ruling party 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, 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats and bypolls to 49 wards of other urban civic body polls were held today. Most of these urban civic bodies, elected in 2018, were Congress-ruled till the end of their term in 2023. Even in the municipal councils and nagar panchayats that went to the polls, the results are likely to be a mixed bag for both AAP and Congress. The BJP, which was hoping for big wins, seems to have won only sporadically — in Jalandhar and Ludhiana (19 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 AAP Punjab president Aman Arora.
December 21, 2024 8:34 pm
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Shivraj Singh Virk from Ward No. 10 along with his supporters celebrate victory in the municipal corporation elections in Patiala on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Rajesh Sachar
December 21, 2024 8:27 pm
BSP's Davinder Goga has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 34 in Jalandhar on Saturday.
December 21, 2024 8:18 pm
BJP candidate Manjit Kaur has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No.19 in Jalandhar on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Malkiat Singh
December 21, 2024 7:53 pm
PCA chairman Amarjit Mehta's son Padamjeet Mehta has won from Ward No. 48 in Bathinda.
December 21, 2024 7:50 pm
December 21, 2024 7:47 pm
Congress candidate Deepika Sunny Bhalla (centre in brown suit) has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 69 in Ludhiana. Photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 7:43 pm
AAP's Aruna Arora has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 33 in Jalandhar on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Sarabjit Singh
December 21, 2024 7:40 pm
Congress winning candidates Paramjot S Sherry Chadha from Ward No. 28 along with his wife Prabhjot Kaur from Ward No. 27 in Jalandhar have won the municipal corporation elections on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Sarabjit Singh
December 21, 2024 7:37 pm
Large number of Congress workers celebrate after party candidates won in municipal corporation elections in Jalandhar on Saturday. Tribune Photo: Sarabjit Singh
December 21, 2024 7:34 pm
Congress candidates Raj Kawal Preetpal Singh alias Lucky from Ward No. 14 and his daughter Dr Shobhit Kaur from Ward No. 9 in Amritsar celebrate after winning the municipal corporation elections on Saturday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
December 21, 2024 7:24 pm
BJP candidate Ruchi Vishal Gulati (centre in green suit) has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 73 in Ludhiana. Photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 7:23 pm
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Nandini Jairath has won the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 71 in Ludhiana. Photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 7:15 pm
Congress' workers celebrate as party candidate Uma Beri, four times councillor and wife of DCC President Rajinder Beri, wins the municipal corporation elections from Ward No. 25 in Jalandhar on Saturday.
December 21, 2024 6:38 pm
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Davinder Singh emerged victorious in the Majithia bypoll from ward number 4, securing 396 votes out of a total of 704 polled votes. His closest competitor, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Raj Balwinder Singh, trailed behind with only 121 votes.
December 21, 2024 6:32 pm
In Phagwara Municipal Corporation, the Congress emerged victorious.
December 21, 2024 6:24 pm
December 21, 2024 4:45 pm
The BJP on Saturday filed another complaint against the Patiala Police officials, who have illegally detained party candidate Sushil Nayyar from ward number 34 of Municipal Corporation Patiala.
December 21, 2024 4:31 pm
The BJP on Saturday demanded registration of FIR against AAP MLAs Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Gurlal Singh, “who are not voters of the area but are sitting inside the booth as well as roaming in ward number 40 and intimidating the voters and inhabitants of the area to cast vote in favour of the AAP,” reads a letter to state election commission.
December 21, 2024 4:03 pm
MC Kharar - 44.31%, MC Nayagaon - 52.47%, MC Banur - 73.79%, Nagar Panchayat Gharuan - 75.40%
December 21, 2024 3:53 pm
MC Patiala -29%, Nabha- 47%, MC Patran - 61%, MC Rajpura- 50%; Nagar Panchayats - Bhadson-71% and Gagga-76%
December 21, 2024 3:48 pm
December 21, 2024 3:46 pm
December 21, 2024 2:25 pm
December 21, 2024 2:24 pm
December 21, 2024 2:23 pm
MC Kharar - 32.37 %, MC Nayagaon - 40.78 %, MC Banur - 53.67 %, Nagar Panchayat Gharuan - 61.94%
December 21, 2024 2:16 pm
Shere Punjab market turned battleground as Akali Dal, AAP and BJP workers locked horns. Police resorted to lathi charge as two suffer minor injuries.
December 21, 2024 1:44 pm
Many voters reached their respective polling stations, where they generally cast their vote, but did not find their names in the list.
December 21, 2024 1:35 pm
December 21, 2024 12:30 pm
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/punjab-mc-election-jalandhar-voters-face-uphill-task-in-locating-their-booths-many-leave-without-vote-cast/
December 21, 2024 12:23 pm
MC Kharar - 19.69%, MC Nayagaon - 27.60%, MC Banur - 32.22%, Nagar Panchayat Gharuan - 43.29%
December 21, 2024 12:07 pm
December 21, 2024 11:42 am
December 21, 2024 11:41 am
MC Patiala -14%, Nabha- 20%, MC Patran - 36%, MC Rajpura- 25%; Nagar Panchayats - Bhadson-39% and Gagga-56%
December 21, 2024 11:00 am
Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 10:49 am
Kaur alleges that fake votes are being polled in ward no. 34, while the SSP says videography of voting process being done.
December 21, 2024 10:42 am
December 21, 2024 10:41 am
Photo: Vishal Kumar
December 21, 2024 10:38 am
Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh
December 21, 2024 10:37 am
Also in Sunam, Dirba, Cheema, Moonak and Khanauri municipal councils and nagar panchayats
December 21, 2024 10:35 am
Kaur alleges AAP MLA Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Gurlal Ghanaur, who are outsiders as they represent rural constituencies, are visiting ward no. 34 in utter violation of poll code.
December 21, 2024 10:33 am
Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 10:28 am
Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma
December 21, 2024 10:24 am
Police rounded up candidate Sushil Nayyar, who is contesting from ward number 34. He was taken away by a police team as he tried to escape some AAP supporters, who had surrounded him.
December 21, 2024 10:17 am
Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan
December 21, 2024 10:14 am
Photo: Sunil Kumar
December 21, 2024 10:09 am
December 21, 2024 10:01 am
Municipal Corporation: 5.4%; Councils: 9.8%; Malaudh nagar panchayat: 16.1%
December 21, 2024 9:55 am
Bholath/Nadala/Begowal/Dhilwan — 9.10 per cent; overall district total — 7.7 per cent
December 21, 2024 9:51 am
December 21, 2024 9:48 am
Photo: Vishal Kumar
December 21, 2024 9:45 am
December 21, 2024 9:38 am
At ward number 40, AAP accuses BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur, daughter of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, for influencing the voters. On the other hand, the BJP leader says she visited the polling booth following information that some individuals were involved in casting fake votes.
December 21, 2024 9:12 am
December 21, 2024 9:08 am
The BJP leader visited two polling stations in the old city area and claimed their party candidates were not allowed by the opposition candidates to sit on stalls outside the polling booths. “Appeal to senior police officials to maintain law and order instead of playing hand in glove with the ruling party candidates”, she told the media.
December 21, 2024 9:01 am
Before the start of the polling, AAP and BJP factions locked horns after AAP candidates, backed by some supporters, allegedly stopped the BJP candidates from entering booths.
