Listen To This Post
Mohali: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday claimed that the party had won around 70 per cent of the seats in the recently held Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, terming the outcome a strong endorsement of the Mann government’s four-year tenure.
Addressing a joint press conference here after the declaration of results, Kejriwal said the verdict reflected pro-incumbency ahead of the next Assembly elections.
“This election is just before the Assembly polls. It clearly shows a pro-incumbency factor and a stamp of approval on the four years of governance under Bhagwant Mann,” Kejriwal said.
Governance Planks Credited for Victory
Kejriwal attributed AAP’s performance to a series of governance initiatives, including the ‘Yudh Nasheyan Virudh’ campaign, canal-based irrigation, free electricity, construction of 19,000 km of village roads, employment generation, reforms in education, Mohalla Clinics, and the introduction of easy registry.
He also sought to contrast the polls with previous rural body elections. “The 2013 and 2018 elections were a sham. There was no videography then. This time, transparency was ensured. As many as 580 seats were won by margins of less than 100 votes, while the Opposition won 319 such close contests,” he said.
Mann: SAD Reduced to Third Place
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that the elections were free and fair, dismissing Opposition allegations of rigging.
“Former Congress chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi held many elections. People should now go and see the results in their own area,” Mann said, taking a swipe at Congress.
Targeting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mann added, “The party that calls itself a rural party has finished third in these elections.”
On a lighter note, Mann remarked that a probe was underway to identify who cast the solitary vote for the BJP candidate in his native village, drawing laughter at the press conference.
Assembly Polls to Be Fought on Development
Mann said the AAP would approach the next Assembly elections on the plank of development and delivery. “We will go to the people with our work,” he said.
Kejriwal on Delhi Pollution
Responding to questions on Delhi’s air quality crisis, Kejriwal said both the Union and Delhi governments must act decisively to address pollution. “In Punjab, AQI levels are under control. It cannot be said that Delhi’s pollution is due to stubble burning in Punjab,” he said, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of showing “no concern” despite an emergency-like situation across the country.
The rural poll results are being widely seen as a key political indicator ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with AAP projecting them as a validation of its governance model in the state.
