‘ED party wiped out’: Kejriwal’s attack on BJP as AAP wins Punjab civic polls

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal sent out a message of gratitude to the people of Punjab on Friday after the state’s ruling party won in a large majority of the urban local bodies that went to polls earlier in the week.

As results came in by late evening Friday, the former Delhi CM underlined that a “spectacular” victory was achieved in Punjab’s urban areas, a key focus for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of assembly polls due early next year.

“By casting this historic vote, the people have applauded the work of the Bhagwant Mann government. We will continue to do good work in the same way in the future,” Kejriwal said in Hindi on X.

Using the terms “ED party” apparently for the Centre’s ruling BJP, he said it had been wiped out.

“The ED party harassed people by conducting raids on small traders in Punjab; the people took revenge today,” he said, referring to alleged misuse of the central probe agency Enforcement Directorate in recent times, including against AAP MPs, MLAs and ministers. The AAP has even blamed ED’s “misuse” by the Narendra Modi government for its leaders either defecting, such as Raghav Chadha-led group of seven Rajya Sabha MPs. or being sent to jails, such as Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora.

The AAP had, by 7:30 pm Friday, bagged around 900 of the 1,757 wards that were counted, of the total 1,977 that went to polls on May 26. The main Opposition party Congress was a distant second with around 350 wards or seats.

Voters cast their ballots for 102 municipal bodies, including eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats.

These included, at top tier, eight municipal corporations: Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala and Pathankot.

The voter turnout was 63.94%; and a total of 7,554 candidates contested the elections.

The results are important for all major parties as the state may witness a multi-corenered contest next year, including the AAP, BJP, Congress and SAD.