Vote counting for Punjab’s District Councils (Zila Parishads) and Block Committees began on Wednesday morning at 8 am, deciding the political fate of nearly 12,814 candidates. Polling for these local bodies was held on December 14.
According to the latest trends, elections are being conducted for 347 District Council zones and 2,838 Block Committee zones. So far, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has secured victories in 15 District Council zones, while 15 District Council seats and 181 Block Committee seats have already been declared unopposed.
AAP Suffers Setback in Dhaliwal’s Native Village
In a notable setback, AAP has lost in the ancestral village of its chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal. The party is also reportedly trailing in the assembly constituency of AAP MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj, indicating pockets of resistance despite its overall lead.
Tension During Counting in Patiala
High drama unfolded in Patiala during the counting process when former Ghanour MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur and his son Gagandeep Jalalpur clashed with the police. The dispute reportedly arose after the Jalalpur family attempted to enter the counting centre to support their candidates.
Police officials stopped them at the entrance, leading to protests and sloganeering outside the centre. Madan Lal Jalalpur and his son sat on the ground in protest, and a heated verbal exchange was seen between Gagandeep Jalalpur and DSP Ghanour Harmanpreet Singh Cheema, briefly escalating tensions at the site.
Party-wise Performance So Far
Despite localized losses, AAP continues to maintain a strong lead overall.
Block Committees (2,838 seats):
AAP: 413 seats won
Congress: 65
Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal): 62
BJP: 1
Independents: 41
District Councils (347 seats):
AAP: 35 seats won
Congress: 2
Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal): 1
BJP: 1
Independents: 1
Current Trends
As per ongoing trends:
In District Councils, AAP is leading on 18 seats, while Akali Dal and Congress are ahead on 2 seats each, and one seat is led by an Independent.
In Block Committees, AAP is leading with 334 seats, followed by Congress (40), Akali Dal (37), BJP (1), and Independents (28).
With counting still underway in several zones, the contest remains dynamic, though AAP appears to be holding a clear edge in Punjab’s local body elections.
