Defeating the strong currents of anti-incumbency, the ruling alliance of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab bagged 167 seats out of 301 in the elections to six municipal corporations, held on Sunday.
But the election results declared on Thursday, apparently, washed away the possibilities of the two parties going solo in the next assembly polls. The results made it evident that the move of the coalition partners to bridge the ever-increasing gap before the elections paid off.
Even as the main opposition party, the Congress, faired badly in all corporations, the independents surfaced as the forces to reckon with by winning 64 seats in the elections, making it clear that the next elections would not be a cakewalk for the SAD and the BJP, especially if the AAP also take the plunge.
A day after the SAD-BJP combine swept the municipal councils and panchayat elections, it also emerged victorious in all six corporations — Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Pathankot, Mohali and Moga.
The SAD-BJP ruling alliance won complete majority in four municipal corporations of Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot and Moga, however it reached the half-way mark at Phagwara and remained just three seats short of majority in Mohali.
Election in one ward at Pathankot was postponed due to the death of an independent candidate and result of one ward in Mohali has been sealed owing to an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The result of Mohali’s ward would be opened in the HC on Friday.
The SAD-BJP combine was just one short of majority at Phagwara where it won in 25 seats — nine by the SAD and 16 by the BJP. Congress bagged 14 seats, with BSP also claiming two seats. The remaining nine were won by Independent candidates.
In Pathankot, BJP, on its own, won in 29 wards where the SAD drew a blank. The Congress won 11 seats while nine went to the independents. The election for one ward was postponed by the State Election Commission due to death of a candidate.
The alliance remained three seats short of majority in Mohali Municipal Corporation with SAD winning 16 and BJP bagging seven seats, making the total of 23. Surprisingly, the Congress managed to bag 14 seats. Independents, clinching 12 seats, would play a major role in assuring the alliance to have its mayor.
In Bathinda, the alliance bagged comfortable 29 seats — SAD 21 and BJP 8 — with the Congress wining in 10 wards and remaining 11 went to the independents. The BJP won more wards in Hoshiarpur as compared to its senior ally. It won 17 seats while SAD got 10 wards to make it a total of 27. Congress won in 17 wards and remaining six went to the independents.
The ruling alliance won 32 wards — SAD-24 and BJP-eight — in Moga where the Congress had its worst performance winning only in one ward.