The upcoming Ludhiana West by-election is shaping up to be a major test for Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who recently became a part of Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet — despite losing the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat to Congress leader Amrinder Singh Raja Warring in 2024.
Interestingly, while Bittu lost the overall Lok Sabha seat, he had a strong lead of 14,342 votes from the Ludhiana West Assembly segment, boosting BJP’s confidence for the upcoming bypoll. The party is now hoping to repeat — or even improve — this performance.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, BJP’s candidate had finished third, while AAP’s Gurpreet Singh Gogi won with 40,443 votes. Congress’s Bharat Bhushan Ashu got 32,931 votes, and BJP’s Bikram Singh Sidhu received 28,107.
For this by-election, BJP has fielded Jiwan Gupta as their candidate, with Ravneet Bittu leading his campaign from the front. Over the past two days, Bittu has held multiple public meetings and roadshows to build momentum.
There were strong rumours earlier that Bittu’s wife might be the party’s candidate, but the idea didn’t work out. This led to a delay in announcing the final name, but now the party is banking on Bittu’s local roots, Congress background, and central minister status to connect with voters — especially in the Hindu-majority areas of the constituency.
“This is not just a bypoll. It’s a vote on development and people’s trust in PM Modi and Minister Bittu,” said a BJP leader from Ludhiana.
For Bittu himself, this contest is more than a political campaign — it’s a credibility test. After switching from Congress to BJP, he has faced criticism from his old supporters and cautious reactions from BJP loyalists. A strong win here could help him establish himself firmly in Punjab’s political landscape.
At a recent public meeting, Bittu urged voters to think carefully about their choice, and pitched Jiwan Gupta as the right candidate to ensure Ludhiana West’s overall development.
He also took sharp aim at the AAP, accusing the party of only trying to secure a Rajya Sabha seat for Arvind Kejriwal. His comments come as AAP has nominated current Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora for the bypoll. If Arora wins, his Upper House seat will be vacated, potentially opening the door for Kejriwal.
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