Ludhiana (National Times): The high-stakes Ludhiana West by-election is witnessing intense competition as the counting of votes progresses. As per the latest trends from Round 9, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate Sanjeev Arora has taken a lead with 22,240 votes, followed by Congress’s Bharat Bhushan Ashu with 17,489 votes.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Jiwan Gupta is close behind with 13,906 votes, while Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) nominee Advocate Parupkar Singh Ghumman trails with 4,774 votes.
This by-election, triggered by the untimely demise of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi earlier this year, has garnered significant attention due to its four-way contest between Punjab’s major political parties.
AAP is looking to defend the seat with industrialist and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, whose candidacy had earlier sparked internal and opposition criticism. The Congress is hoping to stage a comeback with Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a former minister seeking redemption after a prior defeat and legal troubles.
The BJP, buoyed by a strong Lok Sabha performance in this region, has fielded Jiwan Gupta, a local leader making his electoral debut. SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghumman, a lawyer known for advocating the underprivileged, is banking on his grassroots appeal to revive the party’s waning fortunes.
With several more rounds to go, the battle remains tightly contested between AAP and Congress, with BJP making a significant mark in the urban stronghold. The final outcome will be closely watched, not just for its local impact but also as an indicator of shifting political dynamics in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
