#WATCH | Delhi: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari says, "We have launched two schemes. A committee chaired by an AIIMS doctor reported that our country sees 180,000 fatalities and 500,000 accidents annually. 30% of these accident victims could be saved if taken to a hospital immediately, a figure amounting to 50,000 lives. If people step in to rush these 50,000 individuals to the hospital, their lives can be saved; we call such lifesavers 'Rahveers', and we will award the rescuer Rs 25,000. Subsequently, regardless of the road typeтАФbe it national, district, or municipalтАФand the hospital where the victim is admitted, we immediately cover the treatment costs for up to seven days, paying the hospital bill up to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh. I believe these schemes address a critical issue, given that our country records the highest number of road accidents globally. If everyone cooperates, we can save countless lives. Today, Rapido has taken the initiative and pledged its support..."
BIG HIGHLIGHTS: AAP falls short of the 1,000 mark in the Punjab Urban Local Body elections. The BJP will have its Mayor and Chairman in multiple municipal bodies.
The deep dive: PunjabтАЩs local body election trends over the last decade tell a fascinating political story.
2015 Local Body Elections:
SAD : 1060
BJP : 360
Congress : 356
Others : 400+
The SAD-BJP alliance looked dominant, yet it went on to lose the Assembly Elections.
2021 Local Body Elections:
Congress : 1432
SAD : 284
BJP : 59
AAP : 69
Independents : 364
Congress appeared unbeatable but lost the very next Assembly Elections.
Now look at 2026:
(1941 out of 1977 seats declared)
AAP : 945
INC : 380
SAD : 191
BJP : 169
BSP : 7
Independent : 249
For the first time in 11 years, the ruling party in Punjab has failed to cross the 1000-seat mark in local body elections and that too despite a series of serious allegations raised by the opposition during the campaign.
Opposition candidates alleged that several nominations were rejected on technical grounds, while 63 AAP candidates were elected unopposed after no rival nominations were filed in those wards. Congress and other opposition parties also accused AAP MLAs of intimidating opposition supporters during the elections.
There were further allegations of misuse of the state police and administrative machinery by the ruling dispensation. Reports of booth capturing and violence against opposition candidates also emerged from several areas during polling.
Yet, despite enjoying the advantages of incumbency and the state machinery, AAPтАЩs tally has remained below the symbolic 1000-seat mark, reflecting visible anti-incumbency against the Bhagwant Mann government. Congress continues to appear directionless, while the SAD has still not fully recovered politically.
Amid this churn, the BJPтАЩs performance stands out. In 2021, the BJP had fought the local body elections independently and won 59 wards. In 2026, once again contesting without any alliance support, the BJP has already crossed 169 wards, an increase of 110 wards in just five years.
The BJP has performed beyond expectations despite lacking both administrative backing and alliance arithmetic.
PunjabтАЩs political churn has begun and the saffron surge is loading.