Expanding footprints across Punjab, claims BJP
Chandigarh, May 25
Whatever may be the outcome of the ongoing elections to 105 local bodies, including eight Municipal Corporations, 76 Municipal Councils and 21 Nagar Panchayats in Punjab, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party believes that it is rapidly emerging as one of the strongest political forces in the state and is steadily expanding its footprint in both urban and rural regions.
The transformation in the BJP's position in Punjab politics between the February 2021 local body elections and the current May 2026 civic polls has been dramatic, a senior BJP functionary told IANS on Monday, a day ahead of the municipal and local body polls.
In 2021, the party faced protests across several parts of Punjab and even struggled to field candidates in many areas.
In sharp contrast, he said, the current elections witnessed enthusiastic participation from aspiring BJP candidates, with people lining up to seek party tickets, while no protests against BJP candidates were reported anywhere in the state.
The BJP fielded 1,226 candidates for Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections and 367 candidates for the eight Municipal Corporation elections, reflecting the party's rapidly growing organisational strength and acceptance among the people of Punjab.
Importantly, the BJP's growing support is no longer limited to urban Punjab.
Rural Punjab too has shown increasing acceptance of the party, as evident from the complete absence of protests against BJP candidates during the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections held in December 2025, said the BJP leader.
"The peaceful participation of BJP candidates throughout the ongoing civic elections signals a significant political shift in Punjab. It indicates that voters are increasingly viewing the BJP as a serious and viable political alternative capable of playing a decisive role in the state's future politics," he added.
The State Election Commission said 7,555 candidates are in the fray for the municipal elections.
A total of 1,801 candidates are from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 1,550 from the Congress, 1,316 from the BJP, 1,251 from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), 96 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 1,528 Independents, and 13 other candidates for the municipal elections.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Living in Punjab, I can tell you people are fed up with the AAP government's empty promises. The Congress is in shambles. BJP is offering stability and development. But rural acceptance? Let's see how many seats they actually win before celebrating. Campaigning and winning are two different things.
Fascinating to see the political calculus here. From struggling to find candidates in 2021 to 1,226 candidates this time—that's some serious organizational growth. The peaceful campaigning is a big shift. But I'd be cautious about reading too much into it; local body elections don't always reflect assembly voting patterns.
I'm from a village near Ludhiana. Trust me, the vibes have changed. People used to shout "go back" at BJP workers, now they're listening to their development plans. The farm laws repeal helped reset relations. But let's not forget: the Akalis are still strong in many areas, and the Congress has deep roots. Too early to say BJP is "expanding footprints" — more like they're finally walking on the ground instead of being airlifted. 😅
Respectfully, this sounds like BJP spin. The Congress and AAP have their own issues but 1,550 and 1,801 candidates respectively shows they're still strong. And 1,528 independents—that's a huge number. BJP's growth is real only if they convert these candidates into wins. Let's talk after the results, not before.
S Suresh O As a Punj We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.