Is AAP's Sanjeev Arora Set to Win in Ludhiana (West) Assembly Bypolls?

Chandigarh, June 23 (NationPress) The AAP's Sanjeev Arora is currently leading with a margin of 2,500 votes based on preliminary counting trends, overcoming his closest rival, Congress's Bharat Bhushan Ashu, for the Ludhiana West Assembly seat in Punjab on Monday.

In a surprising turn, BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta, who was in a strong position during the third round, has dropped to third place, while Shiromani Akali Dal's Parupkar Singh Ghuman stands fourth.

After six of the 14 counting rounds, Arora, a member of the Rajya Sabha and AAP candidate, has accumulated 14,486 votes.

Congress's Ashu has garnered 12,200 votes, falling behind by 2,286 votes.

The ballot counting for this crucial Ludhiana (West) Assembly seat commenced on Monday, with heightened security measures in place.

The voting took place on June 19, witnessing a turnout of 51.33 percent from a total of 1.74 lakh registered voters.

This seat became vacant following the passing of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party aims to retain this seat, while the major opposition party, Congress, is making efforts to reclaim it, having held it for six terms previously.

In total, 14 candidates are competing for this urban seat. The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal have also put forth their candidates.

The primary competition appears to be between AAP's Sanjeev Arora, a local industrialist and social worker, and Congress's Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a former minister who has represented the seat twice since 2012.

Ashu faced defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections against Gogi, losing by a margin of 7,512 votes.

Speculations abound that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, who is actively involved in Punjab politics after setbacks in the Delhi Assembly elections, might be aiming for a Rajya Sabha seat should Arora win the bypoll. However, the party refutes claims of Kejriwal seeking a move to Rajya Sabha.

In an interesting twist, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at Arora's residence in October 2024 as part of a money laundering investigation linked to a land 'fraud' case.

The BJP seeks to solidify its presence in the state's Hindu-majority urban areas, aiming to provide substantial competition to both the ruling AAP and Congress by presenting a credible, locally connected candidate.

Prior to the election, the BJP launched a fierce critique of AAP's government over its three-year tenure, accusing them of turning Punjab into a 'rehabilitation center' for Kejriwal's rejected loyalists from Delhi.

AAP remains optimistic about victory due to its public-centric governance, while opposition parties are counting on anti-incumbency sentiments. Nonetheless, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has characterized this by-election as a contest between 'humility' and 'arrogance'. AAP convener Kejriwal began campaigning in March but was notably absent during the campaign's final days, handing over responsibilities to senior party leader Manish Sisodia.