How Ludhiana West bypoll result is crucial for all parties
Jalandhar: The result of the Ludhiana West bypoll is crucial for all four main parties, not only regarding their prospects ahead of the 2027 assembly elections but also concerning their internal factional dynamics.
A victory for AAP is extremely crucial, as the party faces questions about its performance on different fronts and strong criticism from the opposition and several other quarters, including a section of their own workers. This criticism is due to the appointment of party leaders from Delhi in different public offices of Punjab and the central leadership further tightening its grip on Punjab govt affairs.
The desperation for victory was evident from AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's announcement that their candidate, Sanjiv Arora, would be made minister after victory.
He also warned of a 'development freeze' and that 'not a single thing will move forward' if AAP lost the bypoll. The central leadership raised the stakes high with Kejriwal's statements, and Punjab party in-charge Manish Sisodia directly supervised the campaign on the ground.
With the contest in the industrial capital of Punjab and AAP picking Arora, who comes from an affluent business background, the significance of this election goes much beyond a constituency.
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Victory for the ruling party would strengthen the Delhi-based leadership.
Factionalism in Punjab Congress, the main opposition party, and the central leadership's failure in tackling it became evident during the electioneering. Two sides clearly emerged: one including Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Waring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa; and the other including former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, MLAs Rana Gurjeet Singh, Pargat Singh, and Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
The former camp largely stayed away from the campaigning. The only glue among the leaders in each faction is not their affinity among themselves but opposition to one or the other in the opposing camps.
The result would not only have a bearing on the grand old party's trajectory ahead of the general assembly election but would also affect the factional fight, which is expected to exacerbate, whatever the result may be.
It clearly emerged that Ashu was not a proxy for any other leader in the factional fight but has his own issues with Waring.
BJP has remained a very strong force at the seat. Though the saffron party has not been overly concerned about the short-term results, its performance would be a signal not only for itself but also for Congress and AAP about their future challenges.
Though Shiromani Akali Dal is considered the fourth player at the seat, its performance in terms of vote share would be crucial for party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. This is because it would be the first bypoll after the most tumultuous period of his political career, including his being declared 'tankhaiya' by Akal Takht and a five-member committee enrolling parallel membership of Akali Dal. SAD did not contest the four by-elections after the parliament election of 2024.
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