Ludhiana: BJP to announce nominee for Ludhiana West bypoll within a week, 26 in fray
Top leaders from the state unit, including members of the BJP’s election committee, will deliberate over the names at the scheduled meeting; the final decision on the party’s nominee is likely to be made within a week following the meeting
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to hold a key meeting on April 22 to scrutinise applications for the upcoming Ludhiana West assembly byelection. According to senior BJP leaders, 26 applications have been received from hopefuls seeking the party’s ticket for the high-stake seat.
Top leaders from the state unit, including members of the BJP’s election committee, will deliberate over the names at the scheduled meeting. The final decision on the party’s nominee is likely to be made within a week following the meeting.
Confirming the development, a senior BJP functionary said, “We have received several strong applications from committed party workers. The leadership will carefully assess each profile to ensure the most suitable candidate is fielded for the Ludhiana West seat. The ticket will be announced in the coming days.”
Ludhiana West constituency fell vacant following the demise of sitting Congress MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, triggering a byelection that is expected to see a tough contest. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already declared Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as its candidate, Congress is fielded former cabinet minister Bharat Bhusan Ashu and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has declared advocate Parupkar Singh Ghuman as its candidate. The BJP is yet to reveal its candidate.
Sources within the party suggest that the BJP is eyeing a strong and credible local face with grassroots connect to give a tough fight in what is considered a traditional Congress stronghold.
According to people privy to the matter, names of advocate Bikram Singh Sidhu, Rashi Aggarwal, Jeevan Gupta and Anupama Kaur Bittu, wife of union railway minister Ravneet Bittu, are under speculation.
Meanwhile, party workers and supporters are keenly awaiting the announcement, with internal lobbying intensifying over the past few weeks. Several aspirants have been seen actively mobilising support within the constituency, engaging with local residents and party cadres.
Rajnish Dhiman, district BJP chief said, “Senior party leaders and committee selected for west constituency by election is going to conduct a meeting on April 22, 2025 and will scrutinise the names of the 26 candidates who have applied for a ticket.”
With the election code of conduct likely to be enforced soon after the official notification of the bypoll, the BJP aims to complete its internal selection process swiftly and hit the ground running with its campaign.
The final decision will be closely watched not only in Ludhiana but also at the state level, as the party continues its efforts to strengthen its presence in urban Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly polls.
