The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Punjab has delivered a commanding performance in Punjab’s Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections, clinching nearly two-thirds of the seats amid widespread allegations of administrative overreach. The outcome fits a familiar Punjab pattern: strong pro-incumbency in local body polls often followed by sharp anti-incumbency in the subsequent Assembly election.
AAP secured around 218 of 347 Zila Parishad zones (about 63%) and over 1,500 of 2,838 Block Samiti zones, reaffirming the structural advantage enjoyed by the party in power across rural Punjab. Its campaign slogan — “AAP di Sarkar, AAP da Zila Parishad, AAP di Samiti — taan ki sidha kam AAP de hath”— struck a chord, as a mix of state leverage and pragmatic voter calculations tilted the scales decisively in its favour.
However, the campaign was shadowed by serious opposition allegations: snatching of nomination papers, rejection of filings, and the alleged use of money, muscle, and partisan policing. Viral videos and leaked audio clips amplified these claims. AAP leaders brushed aside the accusations, with Arvind Kejriwal declaring the results a “pro-AAP wave” and a resounding endorsement of the Bhagwant Mann government’s performance.
Key Political Undercurrents
AAP: Consolidation with Warning Signs
AAP entrenched its dominance in core districts such as Sangrur, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga, and Patiala. More striking were gains in non-traditional areas —Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, and Fazilka. Yet, when viewed alongside persistent irregularity claims, these wins suggest tight control of the electoral ecosystem rather than deep-rooted organisational consolidation.
Congress: Islands of Strength, Sea of Weakness
The Congress finished a distant second, with pockets of strength in Rupnagar (Ropar), Kapurthala, and SBS Nagar, and respectable performances in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Ferozepur. These results were largely driven by local heavyweights such as Charanjit Singh Channi, Rana Gurjit Singh, and other regional satraps. Poor showings elsewhere — compounded by setbacks after the Tarn Taran by poll — further diminish state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring’s authority, highlighting the party’s dependence on individual leaders rather than organisational coherence.
Akali Dal: Core Retained, Risks Rising
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) held on to its traditional bastions in Bathinda, Muktsar, Faridkot, and parts of Ferozepur, signalling a limited revival. However, short-term gains from candidates allegedly linked to criminal networks — including Amritpal Bath and Gurpreet Sekhon — carry long-term costs, potentially hardening SAD’s image and capping its expansion beyond an already shrinking base.
BJP: Still a Rural Outsider
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains largely marginal in rural Punjab, winning a handful of zones mainly in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, and Fazilka. The results strengthen the argument of leaders like Sunil Jakhar that a renewed alliance with SAD may be the BJP’s only route to relevance in Punjab’s countryside.
The ‘Tarn Taran Model’ and Criminalisation
The victories of figures with alleged gangster links — notably Akali-backed independent Gurpreet Sekhon, who secured multiple seats in Ferozepur — underscore a worrying trend of bahubali politics gaining electoral legitimacy. This model, if unchecked, could bleed into the 2027 Assembly elections.
Punjab’s electoral history offers a clear warning against complacency. From the Akali Dal to the Congress, ruling parties have often mistaken local body dominance for lasting public approval — only to face voter backlash over perceived arrogance and excesses. AAP’s sweep reflects power and leverage today, but whether it sows resentment for tomorrow remains the central question as 2027 approaches.
As one electoral cycle closes, the seeds of the next may already have been sown.
Prof Harjeshwar Singh
Prof Harjeshwar Pal Singh is a veteran writer on Punjab History and Politics. Director, Punjab Thinks