Ludhiana: Scorching heat forces parties to avoid rallies

Most of the political leaders have limited their campaigns to small ward-level meetings which are being organised early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the extreme heat

With the temperature soaring above 45° Celsius, political parties campaigning for the upcoming Ludhiana West assembly bypoll are avoiding large public gatherings and rallies. Instead, they are limiting their campaigns to small ward-level meetings held early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the extreme heat.

Parties are limiting their campaigns to small ward-level meetings held early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the extreme heat. (Adobe stock)

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann held evening mohalla meetings on two occasions. Similarly, BJP leaders have also adjusted their schedules to beat the heat.

According to a BJP spokesperson, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, who is visiting Ludhiana on June 14, will attend afternoon meetings with industry and taxi unions at a local hotel. Later in the evening, when the weather becomes tolerable, he will take part in ward-level “jalsas” in Gopal Nagar and another local area. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, also expected on June 15, will follow a similar schedule.

Earlier this week, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri visited Ludhiana and participated in several small meetings. AAP Rajya Sabha member and cricketer Harbhajan Singh also joined the campaign by holding a road show in support of AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora during the evening hours.

Senior Congress leaders, including former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, MLAs Rana Gurjeet Singh and Pargat Singh, Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, are actively campaigning in Ludhiana. However, they are sticking to indoor and small group meetings. AICC general secretary Bhupesh Baghel, who is in charge of Punjab Congress affairs, is expected to arrive in Ludhiana on Saturday, but no public rally has been announced.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has also adjusted its campaign strategy. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia have campaigned for party candidate Parupkar Singh Ghumman, but have avoided organising large gatherings.

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the party had started its campaign early and completed three rounds of door-to-door visits in the constituency. He added that senior leaders are now connecting with people through small, focused ward-level meetings.