AAP clinches Mayor post as Congress councillor Narinder Singh Mansu switches side

4 min readJalandharJul 9, 2026 02:10 PM IST

Despite this claimed majority, the Mayor’s chair went to an elected Congress councillor who shifted support towards AAP along with around four other Congress councillors. (File Photo/ Representational/(Photo: X/@AAPPunjab)

The Kapurthala Municipal Corporation mayoral election has turned into a major political puzzle in Punjab, with the final outcome raising questions over how a party-backed alliance with fewer numbers managed to take control of the civic body. In a dramatic turn of events, the AAP secured its first Mayor’s post in Kapurthala after Congress councillor Narinder Singh Mansu, who had won the municipal election on a Congress ticket, was elected Mayor with the support of AAP and rebel Congress councillors.

The result has triggered a political controversy as Congress claims it entered the election with a clear numerical advantage. According to the party, it had the support of 27 votes — 26 Congress councillors along with the vote of Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh — while the combined strength of AAP, BJP, SAD, Independents and rebel Congress councillors stood at 24.

Despite this claimed majority, the Mayor’s chair went to an elected Congress councillor who shifted support towards AAP along with around four other Congress councillors. Congress has questioned the timing of this political realignment and sought clarity on when these councillors formally joined or extended support to AAP after winning the election on Congress symbols.

The development has intensified the political battle between Congress and AAP in Kapurthala, highlighting how post-election shifts, alliances and defections can change the balance of power in local bodies despite the original mandate of voters.

AAP councillor Sameer Sharma was elected Senior Deputy Mayor, while Congress councillor Kamakshi Duggal was chosen as Deputy Mayor.

The unexpected outcome has sparked a political confrontation, with Congress questioning when the councillors who moved away from the party formally joined AAP and under what process their change of allegiance took place. The party argued that councillors elected on Congress symbols suddenly supporting AAP changed the entire political scenario.

Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh alleged that despite having a majority in the House, Congress councillors were not allowed to exercise their voting rights during the election process. Calling it a “murder of democracy”, he accused the Municipal Commissioner, Kapurthala, and the Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, of declaring the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected without conducting voting.

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Rana Gurjeet Singh said that after Congress councillors rebelled, Congress still had the support of 26 councillors. Along with his vote as MLA, the party had 27 votes, which he claimed was enough to elect the office bearers.

He alleged that the opposition groups collectively had only 24 members, yet the Congress majority was not allowed to participate in the voting process. He announced that the party would approach judicial and constitutional authorities against what he termed an “undemocratic” process.

He alleged that the 26 Congress Councillors and the MLA were not even given an opportunity to exercise their constitutional and democratic right to vote, despite having the majority required to elect the office bearers of the Municipal Corporation.

Rana Gurjeet Singh further alleged that the actions of the officials amounted to a serious violation of democratic principles and an affront to the mandate given by the people of Kapurthala.

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He stated that the Congress Party would challenge the alleged illegal and undemocratic actions before the appropriate judicial and constitutional authorities and would seek legal action against all those found responsible.

“The Congress Party remains committed to protecting the democratic mandate of the people of Kapurthala and will pursue every constitutional and legal remedy to ensure that justice is done,” he said.