AAP seeks support to secure Jalandhar mayoral post after falling short of majority

Jalandhar: The municipal election results in Jalandhar have been declared, with no party securing a majority in the 85-ward contest.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged as the largest party, winning 38 seats, followed by the Congress with 25 seats and the BJP securing 19 seats. The majority threshold was set at 43 seats.

This election witnessed a voter turnout of 50.27%, approximately 11% lower than the previous polls. Tarsem Singh Lakhotra, who was denied a ticket by AAP, contested as an independent and won his seat.

AAP is now expected to attempt to bring Lakhotra into its fold to close the gap on the majority figure.

Party insiders cited internal discord as a key reason for AAP’s inability to secure a majority. Dozens of former AAP leaders, who had begun preparations to contest as councillors, were denied tickets, leading many to run as independents or affect AAP’s vote share. This infighting and vote splitting significantly weakened the party’s position.

Despite being the largest party, AAP now faces challenges in forming a stable coalition to govern the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation.