The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) continued its impressive run in Punjab's local body elections, registering a resounding victory in the Hoshiarpur Municipal Corporation polls and retaining its edge in Jalalabad. The results are being seen as another major boost for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the party ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
In Hoshiarpur, AAP secured a comfortable majority by winning 35 of the 50 wards in the Municipal Corporation. The Congress emerged as the second-largest party with nine seats, while the BJP managed to win three wards. Independent candidates also secured three seats. The decisive verdict further strengthens AAP's position in the Doaba region, which has been a key political battleground in the state.
Reacting to the victory, local AAP leaders thanked the people of Hoshiarpur for reposing faith in the party's governance and development agenda. The party described the mandate as an endorsement of its policies in areas such as education, healthcare, electricity and welfare schemes.
In Jalalabad, a politically significant constituency once represented by senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, AAP also maintained its advantage in the civic body elections. The result is being viewed as a setback for the opposition, particularly the SAD and the BJP, which have been trying to regain lost political ground in the state.
The latest results come only weeks after AAP's strong performance in the statewide civic body elections, where the party emerged as the dominant force by winning a majority of municipal wards across Punjab. Political analysts believe the continued success in urban local bodies reflects the party's organisational strength and could have significant implications for the political landscape ahead of the next Assembly elections.
The Congress, despite remaining the principal opposition in several areas, has struggled to match AAP's momentum, while the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal continue to face challenges in expanding their urban support base. Opposition parties have alleged misuse of government machinery during the elections, allegations that AAP has strongly denied.
With the victories in Hoshiarpur and Jalalabad, AAP has once again demonstrated its political dominance in Punjab, reinforcing its position as the state's leading political force ahead of the crucial 2027 electoral battle.
