With the Congress coming distant second in civic body polls, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who is facing heat from his colleagues over poor performance, alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) used government machinery to influence the results.
Warring claimed victory on 372 seats, besides 60 Independents who were supported by the Congress. He claimed that 80 AAP candidates were elected unopposed due to abuse of official machinery and mass rejection of nomination papers of the opponents.
The poor show even rocked the meeting of senior Punjab Congress leaders with party president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi today.
A senior leader is learnt to have pointed out that AAP had swept civic polls on Warring’s home turf Gidderbaha, where the party could win just two seats and managed to bag just 143 votes of the 1,830 polled.
Before attending the Delhi meeting, Warring said AAP adopted the policy of “saam, daam, dand, bhed” across Punjab.
Congratulating the party workers for putting up a brave front, Warring said the results were no real indicator of the ground reality in Punjab, which was completely against the ruling party. The real contest would be held in early 2027, when the AAP would be made to bite the dust, he said.
Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa said despite AAP misusing power throughout the elections, the Congress workers did not lose courage and the people stood firmly with the truth.
“If the elections were conducted in a fair environment without the misuse of power, the Congress’ victory would have been historic. Punjabis have sent a clear message that they are tired of propaganda, advertisements and political theatrics,” he said.
Randhawa said the Congress would always continue to protect democracy, the Constitution and the interests of Punjab.
