Chandigarh: Reacting to the party's victory in the Gurdaspur municipal council elections, Congress MP and former deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday said the win was just a "trailer for the 2027 battle and that the full film is yet to come".
In a written statement, Randhawa said, "The people of Majha have not only demolished the BJP's urban stronghold in Gurdaspur but have also shattered the arrogance of the Aam Aadmi Party and chief minister Bhagwant Mann. The people have reminded both the AAP and the BJP of their true political standing."
Describing Majha as "not merely a region but the political pulse of Punjab", Randhawa said, "Majha belonged to the Congress in the past, belongs to the Congress today, and will continue to be with the Congress in the future."
He further stated, "The results from Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, Qadian and other urban areas of Majha clearly demonstrate that urban voters are no longer influenced by the politics of the AAP and the BJP."
The Gurdaspur MP added, "The land of Majha continues to determine the political direction of Punjab, and whenever Majha speaks, its voice echoes across the entire state."
He stated, "The BJP had long projected Gurdaspur as its political bastion. Despite years of power at the Centre, prominent ministers, parliamentary representation and governmental influence, the people of Gurdaspur have now delivered a clear message that politics cannot succeed in Punjab without understanding its soul."
"The very fort which the BJP claimed as its stronghold has now been brought down by the people's vote. The BJP was zero in Punjab before, is zero today, and will remain zero in the future," Randhawa added.
Outperformed Congress, claims SAD
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) described its victory in Qadian "in line with the emerging trend across the state". The party claimed that it "outperformed the Congress in vote share".
"The SAD has gained a major victory in the Qadian municipal committee elections by winning eight out of the 15 seats. The victory is noteworthy, coming as it does, in the home constituency of the leader of the opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa," the Akali Dal said in a written statement.
The party further stated, "The strong showing of the SAD in the municipal elections in which it secured a complete majority in 10 committees compared to eight bodies secured by the Congress and two by the BJP is reflective of its strong position in the state politics."
It added, "The vote share of the SAD in the civic elections also indicates it has become a formidable force in the urban areas. Notably, of the total 1,977 wards, the Shiromani Akali Dal, after major nomination rejections, had contested 1,251 seats, whereas Congress fought on 1,550 and the BJP on 1,316 seats."
"The SAD also emerged as the main opposition party ahead of the Congress. In both the Malwa and Majha zones, the party was ahead of the Congress. In the Malwa zone, the SAD secured 27.5% of the votes compared to the 24.7% vote share secured by the Congress. Similarly, in the Majha region, the SAD secured 25.3% of the vote share compared to 22.2% secured by the Congress party," the SAD stated.
"With the latest municipal tally, where the Shiromani Akali Dal secured more than 250 seats, the SAD cannot be called a rural party any longer. It has succeeded in securing vital support in the urban areas, especially in the municipal elections, which indicates well for the party in the 2027 assembly elections," the party added.
