Winning 251 seats of the total 1977 seats, Independent candidates emerged as the third largest group of winners in the overall tally of the local body election results declared today. AAP won 954 seats, followed by the Congress with 393.The number of Independents was above SAD (192) and BJP (172).Political parties have started claiming that Independent candidates belonged to their organisations.However, differing with them, experts say Independents had scored big even in the 2021 elections when they had won 387 seats.Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Jangveer Singh said, “We knew AAP officials would cancel the candidature of our nominees, as they have attempted in many cases. So we had some of them contest as Independents. Now you will see them as a part of our special committees.”Political science expert Dr Rajbans Singh Gill from Punjabi University, Patiala, said, “Proxy or ‘independent’ fronts are a classic strategic manoeuvre in Punjab’s urban local body elections. This tactic is utilised by Opposition parties — such as the Congress, SAD and BJP — to navigate the intense pressures exerted by the ruling party.”He said, “When a party has multiple powerful ticket seekers in a single ward, it often quietly backs an Independent dummy candidate.”Presenting a different opinion, Jagtar Singh, a senior citizen of Budhlada, said, “Many candidates who want to engage in public service do not want to associate with any party. Public anger against ruling parties was visible in the 2022 elections when AAP came to power in 2022.”As many as 14 of the 19 candidates in the Tarn Taran municipal council elections chose to contest as Independents. They were supported by Adesh Partap Kairon, who had quit SAD and now sits as a silent member of SAD (Punar Surjit).