Big showdown expected in Punjab as State Election Body Plans to conduct Local Body Polls with ballot against EVM shortage ?

The upcoming local body elections in Punjab have triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the State Election Commission deciding to conduct polls using ballot papers citing non-availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The decision has drawn strong criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of deliberately avoiding EVMs due to fear of electoral defeat.

Punjab BJP leaders have alleged that the move raises serious questions about transparency and fairness, arguing that EVMs ensure quicker and more reliable results. They claim the shift to ballot papers could open the door to manipulation and malpractice at the grassroots level.

The AAP government, however, has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, maintaining that the decision was purely logistical. Party leaders insist that the State Election Commission is an autonomous body and that the government has no role in influencing its operational choices.

With political temperatures rising, the issue is expected to dominate the campaign narrative, turning routine civic polls into a high-stakes political battle between the ruling AAP and an aggressive BJP looking to expand its footprint in the state.

Congress Mirrors BJP's Bengal Booth Playbook in Punjab. Likely to adopt Panna Pramukh-Style Strategy to Build Cadre

Sources within the Congress state unit indicate that the party has formally decided to adopt a booth-centric electoral strategy, closely resembling the BJP’s famed panna pramukh system, albeit under more colloquial local designations.

The shift comes as Congress leadership grapples with organisational drift at the grassroots level and seeks to rebuild its electoral machinery ahead of upcoming contests. Senior leaders have reportedly been studying the BJP’s expansion strategy in West Bengal where the party built a formidable cadre base from scratch as a template for Punjab.

The proposed structure focuses on hyper-local mobilisation, assigning dedicated workers to micro voter clusters, ensuring constant engagement, data tracking, and targeted outreach. This marks a significant pivot for the Congress, which has traditionally relied more on candidate-centric and macro-level campaigning rather than deep booth management.

Insiders suggest the move reflects a growing acknowledgment within the party that electoral success in the current political landscape hinges less on rhetoric and more on disciplined, ground-level organisation—something the BJP has consistently executed with precision.