The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faced significant electoral losses in the recent zila parishad and block samiti elections within the Nabha block of Punjab's Patiala district. Opposition candidates from the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal claimed victory in at least three crucial panchayat samiti zones, marking a notable reverse for the ruling party in the state.
Controversial Campaigns and Alleged Intimidation
The election campaign in Nabha block was marred by controversy and public confrontations. The defeats for AAP occurred in areas where there were serious allegations of opposition candidates' nomination papers being snatched. Furthermore, villagers had engaged in heated exchanges with the local Nabha MLA over the distribution of welfare benefits and development works, setting a contentious backdrop for the polls.
In Banera Kalan, Congress candidate and former sarpanch Gurmeet Kaur declared victory for the panchayat samiti seat by a margin of 70 votes. Her campaign was preceded by a major incident where her husband, Bhim Singh, alleged that her nomination papers were snatched inside the administrative complex near the DSP Nabha office. Despite this alleged disruption, party workers revealed that Gurmeet Kaur stayed in the race because she had prepared a second, complete set of nomination papers in advance, which she successfully submitted.
Voter Anger Over Welfare Distribution
The Babarpur zone witnessed a victory for Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Surjit Kaur from Kameli village, who claimed to have won by approximately 40 votes. The campaign here was dominated by a confrontation between residents of Kameli village and the Nabha MLA regarding the allocation of housing grants.
Villagers accused the MLA of facilitating grants for pucca-house owners in a neighbouring village while ignoring eligible families living in kutcha houses in Kameli. They further alleged that AAP workers and members of the MLA's team pushed residents and attempted to forcibly confiscate mobile phones to prevent recordings of the incident. However, Nabha DSP G S Bal had earlier described the event as merely a "heated exchange," denying any scuffle or attempt to snatch phones.
Wider Implications and Electoral Backlash
A similar scene of public discontent unfolded in Ageti village, where residents questioned the MLA about development works and welfare delivery. In the Dharonki panchayat samiti zone, which includes Ageti, Congress candidate Inderjit ‘Cheeku' claimed victory. Local political leaders interpreted this result as a direct reflection of public anger over the Kameli incident and a growing perception that AAP had misused state machinery and party supporters to pressure rivals during the election process.
These setbacks in Nabha are not isolated. They occur amid a broader controversy across several Punjab districts, including Patiala, Sangrur, Ropar, and Fatehgarh Sahib, where opposition parties have accused AAP of tearing and snatching nomination papers to keep rivals off the ballot. These parties have sought judicial intervention for tighter oversight of the polls.
On a statewide level, Punjab recorded a voter turnout of around 48 per cent for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections held on December 14. The counting of votes was conducted across 154 centres in the state.
