Ludhiana West goes to polls on June 19

AAP’s Sanjeev Arora, SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman and Congress’ Bharat Bhushan Ashu are in the fray; BJP are yet to name its candidate

Ludhiana The bypoll to Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab will take place on June 19, and the counting will be held on June 23, officials said on Sunday.

According to the by-election schedule, the nomination process will commence on May 26, while the last date for filing nominations is June 2. (HT File)

The bypoll comes in the wake of the death of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurpreet Gogi Bassi, who lost his life on January 10 this year due to an accidental firearm discharge at his residence.

According to the by-election schedule, the nomination process will commence on May 26, while the last date for filing nominations is June 2.

Scrutiny will take place on June 3, and the last date for the withdrawal is June 5.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the first political outfit to announce its candidate. It has named Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora for the bypoll, banking on his business credentials and clean image to retain the seat for the party.

The Congress has fielded former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a two-time MLA from the seat, who is looking to stage a political comeback, while the Shiromani Akali Dal has nominated Parupkar Singh Ghuman for the bypoll. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to name its candidate.

Ludhiana West has 1,74,437 registered voters, comprising 89,602 males, 84,825 females, and 10 third-gender electors. The election commission has rationalised polling stations to a total of 192, while EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) coverage in the constituency stands at 100%.

Historically, Ludhiana West has been a Congress bastion. Ashu won the seat in 2012 and 2017 before AAP’s Gurpreet Gogi Bassi broke the streak in 2022. Before that, in 2007, SAD’s Harish Rai Dhanda won the constituency during the SAD-BJP alliance. In 2002, former cabinet minister Harnam Dass Johar claimed victory for the Congress.

Ashu welcomed the announcement and said: “We were waiting for the date. We at Congress are determined to put together our best in this contest”.

AAP’s Arora appealed to every voter to come forward and participate actively in this democratic process. “This is not just an election—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of our constituency with a clean, responsive, and development-oriented leadership,” he said.

“With the schedule now official, my campaign has shifted into a more aggressive phase. I am committed to working tirelessly for the development of Ludhiana, with a focus on improving healthcare, education, and infrastructure. My vision is to make Ludhiana a model constituency where every citizen feels heard, respected, and empowered,” he added.

BJP to announce candidate soon, Khanna

BJP national vice president and former MP Avinash Rai Khanna visited Ludhiana on Sunday to galvanise party workers.

Khanna expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, stating that the BJP would win the bypoll with a decisive margin. “The candidate for the seat will be officially declared within the next day or two,” he said.

Taking a jibe at the AAP-led Punjab government, Khanna said the ruling party has failed to maintain law and order in the state. “Incidents of chain snatching, extortion, corruption, and violent crime are on the rise,” Khanna added.

Box

Constituency factfile

Total Voters: 1,74,437

Males: 89,602

Females: 84,825

Third gender: 10

Polling stations: 192