The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has secured a commanding lead in the rural local body elections in Punjab, claiming a massive victory in approximately 78% of the Zila Parishads for which results have been declared. The counting of votes, which began on Wednesday, December 18, 2025, is still underway, but the trends show a clear dominance of the ruling party in the state's hinterlands.
A Resounding Mandate for AAP
As of 8 PM on Wednesday, results for 168 out of the 347 Zila Parishads that went to polls had been officially declared. Of these, the AAP won a staggering 132 parishads. The principal opposition, the Congress, managed to secure only 26. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 4, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 2, and independent candidates won in two parishads.
The story was similar in the Panchayat Samiti elections. Out of 2,838 samitis, results for 1,909 were announced by evening. The AAP led here as well, winning 1,242 samitis. The Congress won 331, SAD 211, BJP 42, and independents won 83 seats.
Leadership Hails "People's Mandate"
AAP's Punjab unit chief, Aman Arora, hailed the outcome as a "clear endorsement" of the Bhagwant Mann-led state government's policies. He stated that the party had won in 78% of the Zila Parishads and 65% of the Panchayat Samitis where results were in.
"People's mandate has favoured the policies and governance delivered by the government," Arora told The Indian Express, thanking the people of Punjab for their faith in AAP's model of good governance.
In contrast, Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring offered a nuanced reaction. While acknowledging the trends, he expressed satisfaction with his party's performance "against all odds." He pointed to the "compliant and obedient administration and police" under the AAP regime as a factor influencing the results.
Notable Wins and Surprising Losses
The elections also threw up some intriguing local results. In a significant development, the wife of gangster-turned-politician Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, who was arrested during the election process and later released on court orders, won her seat. Five of his supporters also emerged victorious.
However, the AAP faced setbacks in the native villages of several of its own senior leaders. Candidates backed by prominent figures, including Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and several MLAs and MPs, failed to secure wins in their leaders' home turf, indicating localized dissent.
The final results for all seats are still awaited as the counting of ballot papers continues. However, the declared results and trends firmly establish the AAP's stronghold in Punjab's rural political landscape, setting the stage for the upcoming electoral battles in the state.
