The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured all three top positions in the Nangal Municipal Council (MC) elections on July 7, 2026, as the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boycotted the polls, accusing the Punjab government of using official agencies to influence the outcome. Kiran Bala was elected president, Ramesh Masha as senior vice-president, and Jaspreet Kaur as vice-president in the election held amid heavy police deployment.
Political drama and allegations of intimidation
The election was preceded by high political drama, with Congress leaders alleging that the ruling party had intimidated its elected councillors through raids by government agencies on the eve of voting. Earlier in the day, Congress workers, led by former Punjab Assembly Speaker KP Rana, gheraoed the Nangal police station, alleging misuse of state machinery to put pressure on Congress councillors.
Addressing the protest, KP Rana alleged that teams from the GST Department, the State Vigilance Bureau, and the Punjab Police had conducted raids at the residences of Congress councillors on Monday night, just hours before the election. He called the action a "blatant abuse of power" and claimed that nearly all Congress councillors had been targeted to force them to switch sides. "The timing of these raids clearly indicates an attempt to influence the election. Democratic institutions are being undermined through the misuse of government machinery," he alleged.
Fractured verdict and AAP's majority
The elections gained political significance due to the fractured verdict in the 19-member Municipal Council. The Congress had emerged as the single largest party with eight councillors, while the AAP had seven. The BJP held three councillors, and one seat was held by an Independent. The Independent candidate joined AAP on the morning of the election, bringing the party's tally to eight, equal to Congress's strength.
Despite the tie, AAP candidates were elected to all three top posts after the Congress and BJP boycotted the proceedings. Punjab Education and Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who is also the local MLA, was present at the Municipal Council office during the election. He dismissed the Congress allegations, stating, "If any government official is found to have pressured elected representatives, strict action would be taken."
BJP deems election illegal
BJP state vice president Subhash Sharma termed the election "illegal and unconstitutional." He argued that even with the Independent's support, AAP had only eight councillors in a House of 19, lacking a majority. "The election to the post of president of the council was illegal," he said, adding that the BJP would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the move. The BJP councillor did not attend the House proceedings to prevent the government from using official machinery to circumvent rules, he explained.
Significance of Nangal Municipal Council
The Nangal Municipal Council is considered the most influential urban local body in Ropar district, with the largest electorate and substantial financial resources. Control of the civic body is expected to strengthen the ruling party's political position in the region ahead of the next Assembly elections.
