With just three days left for voting in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll, local voters and civil society members have raised concerns over the lack of focus on public issues, which they say have been overshadowed by aggressive political rhetoric among major parties.
The bypoll, scheduled for June 19, was necessitated following the demise of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. The seat is witnessing a high-stakes contest among Sanjeev Arora (AAP), Jiwan Gupta (BJP), Bharat Bhushan Ashu (Congress), and Parupkar Singh Ghuman (SAD).
While senior leaders including Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, Charanjit Channi, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Rana Gurjeet Singh, and Sunil Jakhar have extensively campaigned in the constituency, observers say they have largely engaged in mud-slinging instead of presenting clear roadmaps to solve the constituency’s problems.
Former Central University of Punjab Chancellor Dr. S.S. Johl said the bypoll outcome will act as a referendum for all major parties ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. “Unfortunately, none of the parties have discussed the core issues of Ludhiana West. They are more focused on targeting each other than providing solutions,” he added.
Key Issues Being Overlooked
Residents and community representatives have highlighted several pressing issues that remain unresolved:
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Deteriorating law and order
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Frequent waterlogging during rains
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Stray dog menace
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Delay in Buddha Nullah cleaning project
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Incomplete city centre project
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Lack of parking in commercial areas
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Non-functional transport office
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Lack of proprietary rights for Jawahar Nagar Camp residents
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Industrial migration and erratic power supply
Harmeet Kaur Waraich, Principal of Nankana Sahib Public School, said, “Civic amenities are poor, and people want a time-bound plan. So far, no party has provided it.”
Shiv Puri, a local financial advisor, said issues like snatching incidents, traffic congestion, and lack of parking in areas like Feroze Gandhi Market require urgent attention. “Instead of politicising, candidates should tell us how they plan to fix these,” he added.
From the business community, Avinash Gupta of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said Ludhiana’s industrial sector is suffering. “Power supply remains inconsistent, and many industries are shifting away. No party has addressed this meaningfully,” he said.
Industrialist Amit Jain also questioned why candidates are straying into state-level agendas. “This election is for Ludhiana West, not Punjab. Focus on providing parking in markets like Ghumar Mandi, BRS Nagar, and Model Town,” he said.
Despite the criticism, all major candidates in the fray have promised to resolve the constituency’s issues if elected. However, local voices suggest that voters are seeking more than just assurances—they want concrete, actionable plans for improving their daily lives.
The outcome of the bypoll will be declared on June 23, and approximately 1.75 lakh voters are eligible to cast their vote.
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