The elections to five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab witnessed sporadic incidents of violence and allegations of electoral malpractice on Saturday.
The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of orchestrating fake voting at multiple locations in Patiala. The ruling party, however, dismissed these allegations.
Violence erupted in Patiala, with reports of scuffles and heated exchanges between BJP and AAP supporters. BJP candidate from Ward No. 34, Sushil Nayyar, created a stir by threatening self-immolation, alleging rampant casting of fake votes at a polling booth.
Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh intervened at the scene as BJP supporters argued that individuals without proper verification were being allowed to vote.
“Nobody was stopping them. And who is responsible for it?” a BJP supporter questioned, to which the SSP responded, “Videography of polling is taking place.”
BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur, daughter of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, alleged the presence of outsiders, including AAP MLAs Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Gurlal Ghanaur, in Ward No. 40.
The BJP filed a complaint with the State Election Commission, demanding an FIR against the two for violating the model code of conduct.
In Amloh, Fatehgarh Sahib, the BJP sought action against Mani Warring, brother of AAP MLA Garry Warring, accusing him of facilitating bogus voting in Ward No. 9.
Meanwhile, SAD claimed that its booth in Ward No. 15 in Patiala was vandalised.
The civic polls are seen as a critical test for AAP, particularly after its recent success in three of the four Assembly bypolls in November. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann campaigned extensively, holding roadshows and rallies to bolster AAP’s prospects.
Aman Arora, recently appointed as AAP’s Punjab unit chief, also played a prominent role in the campaign, promising significant changes if the party secured victories.
The elections hold equal significance for Congress, which currently enjoys a majority in the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Patiala.
The results will provide insights into the popularity of AAP among urban voters, as well as the resilience of Congress in its strongholds.
Polling commenced at 7 am and concluded at 4 pm amidst tight security arrangements. By 3 pm, the voter turnout was recorded at an average of 55 per cent.
Over 37.32 lakh voters, including 17.75 lakh females, were eligible to cast their votes across 3,809 polling booths. Counting of votes began soon after polling closed.
The five municipal corporations that participated in the elections were Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Phagwara.
With over 3,300 candidates in the fray, the stakes are high for all political parties as they await the results
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