Cong tries to put up united front, Ashu’s absence raises eyebrows

Ahead of the Ludhiana West bypoll, the Congress made a strong attempt to showcase unity while addressing mediapersons here on Monday. However, the absence of Bharat Bhushan Ashu, the party’s candidate, overshadowed the efforts, raising questions about internal cohesion. While senior leaders, including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, stood together to rally support, Ashu’s non-attendance fuelled speculation about party dynamics.

All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for Punjab Bhupesh Baghel held a press conference at Ashu’s election office.

Punjab Congress co in-charge Ravinder Dalvi, MP Kishori Lal, MP Amar Singh, Himachal Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, former MLAs Rakesh Pandey and Surinder Dabur, District Congress president Sanjay Talwar, former MLA Balwinder Bains Brothers, State Mahila Congress president Gursharan Kaur Randhawa, former MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid, former minister Malkit Singh Dakha, former MLA Dalwinder Goldy, Vidhan Sabha West coordinator Ramesh Joshi and Congress leader KK Bawa unitedly sought votes in favour of the Congress candidate.

A senior Congress leader clarified that Ashu was absent from recent press conferences due to his busy campaign schedule. While speculation arose regarding his absence, party members said he had been actively engaging in door-to-door outreach to connect with voters ahead of the bypoll.

However, the absence of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Rana Gurjeet and Pargat Singh, who had been camping in the city since the announcement of the byelection, has also raised eyebrows.

Meanwhile, Ashu accompanied by Pargat, Rana and Channi, attended a function on Monday where doctors under the leadership of Dr Navjot Dahiya extended support to the Congress candidate.

Factionalism in the Congress had come to fore with Ashu and Warring not sharing the stage at several occasions in the past. They both had previously appeared together only once — on the day of Ashu filing the nomination papers.

Their separate press conferences, following Ashu’s summons in a vigilance case, had fuelled speculation about internal differences.

Warring and Bajwa said the West byelection would determine the path of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Ludhiana