Chandigarh, May 30 -- The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won more than 48 percent of the wards in Punjab's civic body elections, with chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday describing the results as an endorsement of his government's development works and a rejection of the opposition's "politics of hatred". According to Punjab State Election Commission data available till around 9.30 pm, AAP won 954 of the total 1,977 wards, while the Congress secured 393 wards. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won 192 wards and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 172. Independent candidates won 251 wards and the BSP secured seven. Results for eight wards were still awaited. In the municipal corporation polls, AAP registered decisive victories in Moga, Barnala, Bathinda and Batala, while emerging as the single largest party in Mohali. The Congress secured a dominant position in Kapurthala, while the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Pathankot and Abohar. The results of the civic body elections in Punjab are being widely seen as the semi-final before the 2027 Assembly polls. "The people of Punjab have defeated the opposition's politics of hatred. They have rejected parties who indulge in divisive politics," Mann said, adding that the verdict reflected support for the government's development and welfare measures. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal thanked voters for what he termed a "spectacular" victory. The opposition, however, accused the AAP government of misusing official machinery during the elections. Polling for 102 municipal bodies was held on May 26 using ballot papers....