AAP Retains Ludhiana (West) in Bypoll with Strong Margin

Low Voter Turnout Doesn’t Stop Party’s Momentum Ahead of 2027 Punjab Elections

Chandigarh : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday successfully retained the Ludhiana (West) Assembly seat, buoyed by its development-driven narrative and governance record, despite a low voter turnout of 51.33 per cent—significantly lower than the 64 per cent seen in the 2022 Assembly elections.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora secured victory by defeating Congress veteran Bharat Bhushan Ashu by a margin of 10,637 votes. Arora, who began his campaign in March, polled 35,179 votes, while Ashu received 24,542 votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) first-time candidate, Jiwan Gupta, managed 20,323 votes, finishing in third place. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate lagged behind with just 8,203 votes.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January, reportedly from a self-inflicted bullet injury.

Celebrating the win, Punjab AAP in-charge stated, “Sanjeev Arora’s victory reflects the public’s satisfaction with the work done by the Mann-led government.” State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema echoed this sentiment, calling the result “a victory of the party, of the government, of our work, of our policies,” and confidently asserted that AAP would return to power in 2027.

Addressing the media after his maiden electoral victory, Sanjeev Arora, known for his social work in Ludhiana, declared his top priorities in a single phrase: “Development, development, development.”

Punjab AAP President Aman Arora credited the win to the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, the Mann government’s initiatives, the dedication of party workers, and the personal appeal of Sanjeev Arora.

Meanwhile, BJP MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Bittu congratulated Arora and expressed hope that he would work sincerely for the development of Ludhiana. Bittu also praised BJP’s candidate Jiwan Gupta for garnering over 20,000 votes in just 14 days of campaigning, calling it a “remarkable achievement.”

However, Bittu noted that the combined vote share of the opposition parties surpassed that of AAP, suggesting an undercurrent of growing discontent. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he remarked, “While AAP may be celebrating, the numbers tell a different story.”

Still, AAP leaders remained upbeat. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, celebrating the win, said, “This huge lead is a clear indication that the people are satisfied with our government. We are working day and night, honestly and without discrimination, for the progress and prosperity of Punjab.”

As opposition parties rally under the slogan of “badlaav” (change) ahead of the 2027 polls, the bypoll win has reaffirmed AAP’s grassroots strength—but the road ahead promises fierce political competition.