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Cong’s losing streak continues in Ludhiana West
Adding to the symbolic defeats, Mamta Ashu, wife of Bharat Bhushan Ashu and former councillor, lost in the municipal corporation election in December 2024 from a ward within the Ludhiana West constituency
Once the Congress party’s undisputed stronghold, Ludhiana West continues to drift away from its historical political alignment. In a significant blow to the party’s prospects, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured yet another victory in the recent by-election, signalling a clear shift in voter sentiment. The seat, which has repeatedly sent Congress MLAs to the Punjab assembly, now appears to be realigning its political loyalty.
The bypoll was necessitated after the accidental death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi. Despite the historical significance — this being the first-ever byelection in Ludhiana West seat since its formation in 1977 — the voter turnout dropped to 51.33%, one of the lowest ever, mirroring a sense of political fatigue and reduced enthusiasm.
Recent electoral trends show a consistent erosion of support for Congress. In the 2024 Parliamentary elections, BJP’s Ravneet Singh Bittu secured 45,424 votes from Ludhiana West — the highest among contenders. In contrast, Congress’ Amrinder Singh Raja Warring received just 30,889 votes, while AAP’s Ashok Parashar Pappi trailed further with 22,461 votes. The data clearly indicates that the Congress vote bank in this urban seat is no longer intact.
Adding to the symbolic defeats, Mamta Ashu, wife of Bharat Bhushan Ashu and former councillor, lost in the municipal corporation election in December 2024 from a ward within the Ludhiana West constituency — a development seen as another rejection of the family’s political hold.
Despite being given a clean chit by the Punjab and Haryana high court in the alleged foodgrain transportation scam, Bharat Bhushan Ashu found no electoral redemption. The legal relief failed to rebuild public trust or counteract the narrative shaped by the AAP’s aggressive campaign.
Throughout the bypoll campaign, AAP launched sharp personal attacks against Ashu, choosing to focus not on his role as a senior opposition leader, but on his image. The party projected him as arrogant and short-tempered, resurrecting old incidents and controversies from his past tenure. Hoardings targeting Ashu sprang up across the constituency, and both AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made personal remarks against him during public rallies — a campaign strategy that resonated with a disillusioned urban electorate.
Apart from it a rift between Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has been seen as one of the reasons behind decline of support. Raja Warring along with District Congress President Sanjay Talwar has not joined Ashu in his campaign.
Decline mirrors party’s urban struggles
Ashu once held the seat with record margins — 35,922 votes in 2012 and 36,521 in 2017 — but suffered a stunning defeat in 2022, losing to AAP’s Gurpreet Gogi by 7,512 votes. That loss marked a pivotal shift: AAP captured 34.8% of the vote share, while Ashu’s support fell to 28.3%.
His latest bypoll loss further distances Congress from Ludhiana West, once a Congress cradle that sent six MLAs and two cabinet ministers to power over the decades. With each election, the party’s relevance seems to be shrinking — not just at the assembly-level, but across parliamentary and municipal contests.
Ashu concedes defeat, accepts responsibility
Post-defeat, Ashu issued a statement accepting full responsibility and respecting the people’s verdict. He congratulated AAP’s Sanjeev Arora on the win and promised cooperation for Ludhiana’s development. While dignified in tone, his remarks underscored a quiet acceptance of the party’s waning popularity in its former turf.
Ashu also thanked his voters and Congress workers, noting that their trust meant everything to him, even as he acknowledged the uphill battle they fought amid difficult odds.
