Punjab rural polls: AAP wins over 200 zones of zila parishad, leading in panchayat samiti

Chandigarh: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the zila parishad polls and was also leading in the majority of zones of panchayat samiti in Punjab, according to results declared so far on Thursday.

Complete results are yet to be declared as counting of ballot papers is still underway, officials said.

Polling was held on December 14 to elect members for 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis.

In zila parishad, the results of 317 zones have been declared so far and of which, the AAP registered victory in 201 zones.

The Congress was at the second spot with 60 zones, Shiromani Akali Dal at the third position with 39 zones, BJP 4, BSP 3 and Independents 10, as per the results.

Out of 201 zones, the AAP won 22 zones in Hoshiarpur, 19 each in Amritsar and Patiala, 17 each in Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur and 15 in Sangrur.

The Congress won 8 zones each in Gurdaspur and Ludhiana, 7 in Jalandhar and 6 each in Ferozepur and SBS Nagar, while SAD won 13 zones in Bathinda, 5 in Faridkot and 4 each in Amritsar and Mansa.

BJP managed to win 4 zones of the zila parishad in Pathankot.

In panchayat samiti polls, as per the results declared so far, the AAP was leading in the majority of zones.

Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said his party's strong showing in the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls in Punjab showed that people in rural areas have put their stamp of approval on the Bhagwant Mann government's works.

Kejriwal, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, also vehemently rejected the opposition party's accusations of "high-handedness" in the polling and asserted that the elections were conducted in fair and free manner.

Addressing the media in Mohali, Kejriwal said so far results in the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections showed that the AAP has swept the polls in rural areas and showed that there was a wave in favour of his party in the state.

"Almost 70 per cent seats in zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls have been won by AAP," he said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring accused the AAP government of "stealing" polls.

"STOLEN GLORY @AAPPunjab may bask in STOLEN GLORY of 'sweeping' the rural mandate, but it knows pretty well where it stands."

"We know it. They know it. People of Punjab know it. They have NOT swept the elections, they have STOLEN these," alleged Warring in a post on X.

Opposition parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal had earlier accused the ruling AAP of indulging in high-handedness and misusing the official machinery against opposition candidates.