Vote Counting Begins for Ludhiana West By-Election in Punjab

Vote Counting Commences

The counting of votes for the by-election in the Ludhiana West assembly constituency commenced at 8 AM on Monday. This election became necessary following the passing of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January, which left the seat vacant.

Voter Turnout and Election Details

The by-election took place on June 19, with a voter turnout of 51.33%. This figure is significantly lower than the 64% recorded during the 2022 assembly elections.

Candidates and Security Measures

A total of 14 candidates are contesting in this by-election. An official mentioned that Khalsa Women’s College has been designated as the counting center, where stringent security measures have been implemented. The counting process will occur in 14 phases.

Main Contestants in the By-Election

The primary competition is among the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). AAP has fielded Sanjeev Arora, a member of the Rajya Sabha and an industrialist from Ludhiana, as their candidate.

Opposition Candidates

On the other hand, the Congress party has chosen former minister and acting president of Punjab Congress, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, as their candidate. The BJP has nominated senior leader Jeevan Gupta, a member of the party's core committee in Punjab, while SAD has put forth Paropkar Singh Ghuman, a lawyer and former president of the Ludhiana Bar Association.