The state ruling Aam Adami Party that was riding high on its “overall development and pro-people policies” in the past three years on Monday retained its Ludhiana (West) Assembly seat despite seeing a low turnout of 51.33 per cent -- a drop from the 64 per cent in the 2022 Assembly polls.

However, prominent Opposition parties, the Congress, the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, entered the poll fray with the slogan of "badlaav" ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Sanjeev Arora, who was leading from the first round, defeated his closest rival and two-time legislator Bharat Bhushan Ashu of the Congress by a margin of 10,637 votes.

BJP’s greenhorn Jiwan Gupta finished third.

Arora, who started his campaign in March, polled 35,179 votes, while the Congress leader Ashu got 24,542 votes and the BJP’s Gupta 20,323 votes.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stopped his convoy near Village Badi Madoli in Rupnagar today and interacted with the farmers and local representatives.Talking to the media, CM Mann expressed pride in the significant progress under his administration, emphasizing how the state is witnessing a transformative wave of development.

CM Mann stated, "Punjab’s torch of progress now shines brightly. For the first time, farmers are cultivating paddy during the day using electricity, with surplus power being provided to them. Canal water is also being made available to fields, ensuring every farmer's needs are met. Farmers, from all corners, are expressing their trust and satisfaction in the system."

In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has dismantled a Pakistan-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module being operated by UK-based handler Dharam Singh, alias Dharma Sandhu, with the arrest of a local operative and recovered six sophisticated foreign-made pistols from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Onkar Singh, alias Naw

On the occasion of International Yoga Day, the staff of Rana Hospital, Sirhind united in celebrating this global event dedicated to health, harmony, and inner peace. The hospital premises echoed with positive energy as all staff members enthusiastically participated in yoga sessions, performing various asanas and breathing techniques. Dr. Hitender Suri, Managing Director of Rana Hospital, guided the team and spoke about the broader vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has championed yoga as India’s invaluable gift to the world. 

Reacting to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's statement that "we will not give water from the Indus River to Punjab," Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Neel Garg questioned the statement and accused Abdullah of deliberately politicizing the water issue.

Neel Garg stated that the authority to decide on river waters lies with the Central Government. Hence, Omar Abdullah cannot take a unilateral decision on this matter. He emphasized that Punjab needs water, and therefore, Punjab should also get a share of the Indus River's water.

For the first time, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday gave nod to a 14-point action plan as part of the Integrated State Water Plan to preserve and replenish groundwater.

Chairing a meeting of the Water Resources Department, the Chief Minister said the plan has been prepared in consultation with all departments. He said the situation in the state is already alarming, as 115 of the 153 blocks are over-exploited in terms of groundwater extraction.