Chandigarh, Jan. 7 -- Ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, the state is preparing for a crucial round of civic polls in February, with elections scheduled for nine municipal corporations and 116 nagar councils. The elections are widely being viewed as a "political semifinal", a litmus test for parties on their urban base ahead of the high-stakes 2027 state assembly elections. Municipal corporation elections will be held in Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Bathinda, Batala, Kapurthala, Abohar, Pathankot and the newly upgraded municipal corporation of Barnala. These urban centres are considered politically significant, with issues such as infrastructure, sanitation, employment, law and order and civic governance expected to dominate the campaign. In the last municipal corporation elections held last year, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won Patiala, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Phagwara, though opposition parties had alleged large-scale rigging in the polls. The upcoming elections have assumed added significance following the recent zila parishad and block samiti elections, in which AAP secured a majority in several districts, strengthening its organisational presence at the grassroots level. However, the municipal elections are largely urban-centric and present a different electoral challenge for the ruling party. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had taken the lead in a majority of urban segments during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, underlining its influence among city voters. The forthcoming civic polls will therefore be crucial for parties seeking to consolidate or regain their urban base ahead of 2027. The BJP has already begun preparations for the elections. For the AAP government, the civic polls will test its popularity and governance record. While the party has performed well in rural local body elections, translating that success into urban victories remains a key challenge. "It is a major election and the party is fully prepared," a party leader said. For opposition parties, including the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, the municipal elections offer an opportunity to revive cadre morale, test electoral strategies and demonstrate organisational strength. Political observers say a weak showing could also trigger leadership challenges within opposition parties. Meanwhile, officials of the local bodies department said ward delimitation for all 116 municipal committees and nine municipal corporations has been completed. The proposal has been forwarded to the state election commission to initiate the election process, with polling expected to be held in February....