AAP sweeps Abohar, Morinda civic polls; BJP and Congress allege strong-arm tactics
Synopsis
AAP has swept both the Abohar Municipal Corporation and Morinda Municipal Council in Punjab, but the wins are mired in serious allegations — Congress claims its councillors were physically confined and assaulted by police, while BJP says Abohar's secret ballot lacked any transparent verification. With videos surfacing and both opposition parties crying foul, the civic victories may prove politically costly for AAP.
Key Takeaways
AAP won the Mayor, President, and all key office-bearer posts in both the Abohar Municipal Corporation and Morinda Municipal Council on 10 July .
In Abohar , Ganesh Kumar Sablaniya was elected Mayor with support of 27 councillors in the 50-member body — despite BJP claiming to be the single largest party with 28 councillors .
In Morinda , Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that 9 Congress councillors were assaulted by police and 3 councillors plus the Congress presidential candidate were confined to a room.
BJP's Amit Malviya alleged no video recording of ballot counting in Abohar and an unexplained election postponement, calling out what he termed selective media silence.
Videos of the alleged Morinda incidents have reportedly surfaced on social media; formal complaints and possible legal action are expected.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured control of both the Abohar Municipal Corporation and the Morinda Municipal Council in Punjab on Friday, 10 July, winning the posts of Mayor, President, and all key office-bearer positions in both civic bodies. The victories, however, have been overshadowed by allegations of coercion and democratic violations raised by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress).
AAP's Clean Sweep in Both Civic Bodies
In the Abohar Municipal Corporation, Ganesh Kumar Sablaniya was elected Mayor, with Reshma Bai as Senior Deputy Mayor and Kiran as Deputy Mayor. AAP candidates secured victory with the support of 27 councillors in the 50-member corporation.
In the Morinda Municipal Council, Jagpal Singh Jolly was elected President, Daljeet Kaur Bhichra as Senior Vice-President, and Harjinder Singh Chibber as Vice-President, giving AAP a complete sweep of all top positions.
AAP Rejects Allegations of Coercion
Newly elected Morinda Municipal Council President Jagpal Singh Jolly categorically rejected allegations levelled by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi regarding the councillors. 'All the councillors present here have come of their own free will. No one has been pressured or coerced in any manner. Every councillor has exercised his or her democratic right independently,' Jolly told the media.
Jolly further said that Member of Parliament Channi was 'attempting to mislead the public through baseless statements' and that 'such politics of misinformation would not succeed.' He asserted that 'the people have rejected the politics of falsehood and have once again placed their faith in honest politics.'
Congress Alleges Assault and Confinement of Councillors
Former Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi described the events at the Morinda Municipal Council election as 'a murder of democracy' and an act of strong-arm tactics carried out through the misuse of state power. Channi, speaking in his hometown Morinda, noted that the Municipal Council has 15 councillors, with the local MLA serving as the 16th voting member, making a minimum of eight votes necessary to elect the President.
Channi alleged that he personally escorted nine Congress councillors from his residence to the Municipal Council office in a single vehicle. He claimed that upon arrival, Congress councillors were assaulted by police, while the Congress presidential candidate and three other councillors were allegedly confined to a room and subjected to physical intimidation. Videos of the alleged incident have reportedly surfaced on social media.
He further alleged that Congress councillors repeatedly approached the gate of the Municipal Council office to inform the media that they were being subjected to force and were not being allowed to enter the voting hall, while police allegedly remained 'mute spectators.'
BJP Raises Questions Over Abohar Result, Calls Out Double Standards
BJP's National Information and Technology Department in-charge Amit Malviya posted on X that 'when democratic norms are compromised, the usual chorus of self-appointed guardians of democracy is expected to demand answers,' adding that 'when the party facing serious questions is AAP, the silence is deafening.'
Malviya alleged that in Abohar, despite the BJP being the single largest party with 28 councillors, the AAP candidate was declared Mayor after a secret ballot that 'has now come under a cloud.' He cited specific concerns: an unexplained postponement of the election, no video recording of the ballot counting, and claims that the Returning Officer announced the result without transparent verification before attempting to leave.
'Democracy cannot have different standards for different political parties. If transparency matters, it must matter irrespective of who is in power. The people of Punjab deserve answers, not selective outrage,' Malviya wrote. This comes amid a broader pattern of post-election disputes in Punjab civic body polls, where allegations of state machinery misuse have been raised across party lines in recent cycles.
What Happens Next
With videos of the alleged incidents circulating on social media and formal complaints likely in the offing, the controversy is expected to intensify in the coming days. Both Congress and BJP are likely to escalate their protests, and the matter could reach the courts or the Election Commission if formal grievances are filed. AAP, now in control of both civic bodies, faces the immediate political challenge of demonstrating that its mandates were won without coercion.
Point of View
An AAP victory through secret ballot demands a credible explanation — and the reported absence of video recording of the count makes that harder to provide. The Morinda allegations, if substantiated, point to something more serious: the use of police to physically prevent elected representatives from voting is a direct assault on local democratic institutions, not merely a procedural dispute. AAP has built its brand on anti-corruption and clean governance; incidents like these, even if contested, erode that narrative in ways that electoral wins cannot easily offset. The silence of civil society voices that have historically been vocal on such issues — as Malviya pointedly notes — is itself a story worth examining.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the results of the Abohar and Morinda civic body elections?
AAP won all top posts in both civic bodies on 10 July. In Abohar Municipal Corporation, Ganesh Kumar Sablaniya was elected Mayor; in Morinda Municipal Council, Jagpal Singh Jolly was elected President. AAP secured a clean sweep of Mayor, President, and all key office-bearer positions in both bodies.
What allegations have Congress raised about the Morinda election?
Former Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that nine Congress councillors were assaulted by police upon entering the Municipal Council office, and that the Congress presidential candidate along with three other councillors were confined to a room and subjected to physical intimidation. He described the events as 'a murder of democracy.' Videos of the alleged incidents have reportedly surfaced on social media.
Why is the Abohar result disputed by the BJP?
BJP claims it was the single largest party in Abohar with 28 councillors in the 50-member body, yet the AAP candidate was declared Mayor. Amit Malviya alleged an unexplained postponement of the election, no video recording of the ballot counting, and that the Returning Officer announced the result without transparent verification.
How did AAP respond to the allegations?
Newly elected Morinda Municipal Council President Jagpal Singh Jolly rejected the allegations, stating that all councillors came of their own free will and that no one was pressured or coerced. He accused Congress MP Channi of attempting to mislead the public through baseless statements.
What is likely to happen next following these disputed elections?
Both Congress and BJP are expected to escalate their protests, with formal complaints and possible legal challenges likely in the coming days. The controversy may be referred to the Election Commission or courts if grievances are formally filed. AAP, now in control of both civic bodies, faces political pressure to demonstrate the legitimacy of its mandates.
