AAP sweeps Punjab local polls

December 20, 2025

Abhishek Vij

Voting for the district council and block committee elections in Punjab was held on Monday, December 15th. This time, voting was conducted using ballot papers, not EVMs, and political parties contested the elections under their respective party symbols. Due to the counting of ballot papers, the counting, which began on Wednesday, continued until Thursday. Leaders of various political parties were seen actively campaigning in these local elections, but the results clearly favored the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The Aam Aadmi Party maintained its dominance by winning 218 out of 347 district council seats.

The opposition Congress party secured 62 seats, Shiromani Akali Dal 46, BJP 7, and BSP 1, while independent candidates won 10 seats. Similarly, the AAP wave was evident in the block committee election results as well. In the elections for 2838 block committees, AAP won 1531 seats, Congress 612, Shiromani Akali Dal 445, BJP 73, and others 172. Thus, AAP won more than half of the seats. Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal said that on some seats, candidates of various parties won by a margin of 2-4 votes, which shows that the election process was conducted with complete transparency. In these elections, the people have given their clear mandate in favor of the Aam Aadmi Party.
As far as the performance of other parties is concerned, Congress came in second after the Aam Aadmi Party, the Shiromani Akali Dal’s position improved slightly, while the BJP’s base in rural areas remains negligible. Its winning seat count remained in single digits in the district council elections and did not exceed double digits in the block committee results either. Local leaders were seen displaying their victories and animosity towards each other inside and outside the counting centers, but ultimately, the Aam Aadmi Party emerged victorious. The tide also turned in favor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the panchayat elections. The AAP also won the recent assembly by-elections held in Punjab. These elections were considered a semi-final for the Punjab assembly elections scheduled to be held in 14 months from now.

AAP leaders have stated that their party emerged victorious in the semi-final. This suggests that the AAP is in a strong position for the final assembly elections, 14 months from now. Indian democracy has matured considerably, and it’s impossible to predict the public’s mood, but currently, the momentum is with the AAP. The next 14 months are crucial. Much will depend on the steps the AAP government in Punjab takes for public welfare during this period.

The performance of rival political parties in these elections cannot be ignored either. The Congress party performed well in these elections. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also showed some strength, but the BJP should be concerned about how to increase its influence in rural Punjab. While Captain Amarinder Singh has consistently advocated for an Akali-BJP alliance, the top leaders of the Akali Dal and the BJP deny any possibility of such a coalition.

The ruling AAP government might believe that the Aam Aadmi Party and its workers will maintain the same level of dedication during the assembly elections 14 months from now. What will actually happen remains to be seen, as the political landscape changes constantly. However, given that the Punjab government has announced the implementation of the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme from January 2026, and has promised to fulfill other pledges, there is a strong possibility that the path will remain clear for the Aam Aadmi Party in 2027 as well.