Stamp of approval for Mann govt: Kerjiwal on AAP's good show in Punjab rural polls

Mohali, Dec 18 (PTI) 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-led government.

Addressing the media here, Kejriwal said that so far, the 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 strong 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.

"It is a very big thing. It shows that people in rural areas have put their stamp of approval on works undertaken by the AAP government under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann," he said.

The AAP national convenor said this election took place almost one year ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly polls.

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

He said the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls have been conducted in a free and fair manner, adding that videography of polling and counting was conducted.

He informed that out of the total, there were 580 seats where the margin of victory was less than 100 votes, and of them, AAP won 261, while the opposition registered victory in 319 seats, asserting that it shows polls were conducted in a fair manner.

He also gave examples of several zones in the elections where Congress won by just three to five votes.

If the opposition won by five votes, then what could be a greater proof than this that elections were held in a free and fair manner, he further said.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was leading in the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab as per the results declared so far.

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

The AAP has emerged ahead in a majority of zones across zila parishads and panchayat samitis. The Congress was placed second, followed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

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

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. PTI CHS VSD AMJ AMJ