AAP claims strong presence in Ferozepur Panchayat Elections 2024
Ferozepur, October 17, 2024: In the recent panchayat elections in 6 blocks of Ferozeur, out of a total of 835 panchayats, elections for sarpanch were already held in 394 panchayats. On Tuesday, voting took place in 441 more panchayats across six blocks, with an impressive 75.14% voter turnout. Political parties are eagerly awaiting the results, as the candidates backed by various parties compete for sarpanch positions.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is confident in its performance, claiming it could secure victory in around 50% of the contested panchayats. In contrast, the BJP has not been able to secure a win for any sarpanch candidates across the 822 panchayats where elections have been held so far. Thirteen panchayats are still pending sarpanch elections, mainly due to uncontested seats or candidate deaths which led to postponements.
The voter turnout on Tuesday varied by block, with Guru Har Sahai showing an 80.35% turnout, Mamdot at 79.42%, Ferozepur at 74.37%, Talwandi at 68%, Makhu at 79.13%, and Zira at 69.31%.
A total of 822 sarpanches have now been elected across the 835 panchayats. In some cases, elections were delayed due to uncontested nominations or other issues. For instance, in Guru Har Sahai, out of 159 panchayats, 158 elected their sarpanch while one election was postponed following a candidate's death. Similarly, in Makhu, elections were held in 118 panchayats, with 116 sarpanches elected. Two panchayats in the block remained without candidates, leading to delays.
AAP leaders celebrated their performance, especially in key areas where the party gained a strong foothold, citing it as a win over the influence of traditional village power structures. They claim their anti-establishment stance has resonated with rural voters, contributing to their significant presence in this election.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including national council member Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, acknowledged the party's struggles in the region. He claimed the victory of BJP supporter candidates in 316 villages, out of 510 candidates fielded villages in Ferozepur. He reiterated the party’s commitment to reforming local governance in Punjab, while AAP continues to advance in these regions.
As the panchayat election season concludes, AAP appears to have made substantial inroads in rural Punjab, with BJP reflecting on strategies to strengthen its future prospects in the state.
On the other hand, SAD District President, Chamkaur Singh claimed to have better presentation of its candidates but final lists are still to be scrutinized to know the exact position.