The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received a major boost ahead of the Ludhiana West Assembly byelection as 31 Congress workers and Independent candidate Chandan Chhanaliya joined the party on Thursday.
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ Bhagwant Mann formally welcomed the new entrants into the party at an event attended by Ludhiana West AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora and MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal. Prominent among those who switched from Congress were educationist Simmi Chopra Pashan, retired ਪੁਲਿਸ officer and former international volleyball player Ranbir Singh, and advocates Jeevanjot and Mamta Arora.
A long list of local Congress leaders from various municipal wards also joined the AAP, including Pawandeep Singh, Varun Sharma, Priyanka Sharma, and Raja Singh, among others. Mann praised the enthusiasm of the new members, especially noting the active participation of women in politics, and assured them of due respect and roles within the party and ਸਰਕਾਰ structures.
Highlighting the achievements of the AAP ਸਰਕਾਰ in ਪੰਜਾਬ, Mann said, “ਲੋਕ are seeing the benefits of our work—free electricity, quality education, and improved healthcare.” He proudly shared that 44 students from ਸਰਕਾਰ schools had cleared the JEE Advanced exam this year, securing entry into IITs without having to pay for coaching, thanks to free training provided by their schools.
Mann Criticises Opposition
Taking jabs at rival parties, Mann said the Congress continues to be plagued by internal infighting, while the BJP has “run away from the battlefield,” even telling voters not to support AAP if they don’t want to vote for BJP.
He also slammed BJP’s religious symbolism, such as distributing sindoor for votes, calling it inappropriate. “Governance is not about gimmicks,” he said, while expressing respect for the military and criticizing the politicisation of the armed forces’ image. “Have you ever seen any former PM wearing a military uniform? ਅੱਜ’s PM is misusing it for political mileage.”
Attack on SAD
Mann didn’t spare the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) either. He accused them of nurturing gangsters and bringing drugs into ਪੰਜਾਬ. “They let crime flourish. The infamous Nabha jailbreak, the murder of a brave ਪੁਲਿਸ officer—these happened under their watch,” he said.
He blamed SAD for ignoring educational development, handing over roads to private firms, and promoting sand and land mafias. “They even tried to control Sikh religious institutions, disrespecting the Akal Takht’s orders. ਪੰਜਾਬ needs to be saved from such parties,” he asserted.
With increasing public support and the defection of local leaders from opposition parties, AAP appears to be building momentum ahead of the crucial Ludhiana West byelection.
