Intense fight: Voters to seal candidates’ fate tomorrow

The campaigning comes to an end on Tuesday, giving respite to all from hectic activities for the upcoming Ludhiana West byelection on June 19. There has been an intense fight among all candidates belonging to main political parties, including the Congress, AAP, BJP and SAD.

CM Bhagwant Mann, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Sunil Jakhar, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Majithia, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Partap Bajwa, etc, had visited the city to bat for their respective party candidates as the seat has become a prestige for all parties.

The campaign saw some barbs exchanged between the BJP, AAP, Congress and SAD.

While opposition leaders targeted the AAP government in the state over “failed” promises and “rampant corruption”, accusing the ruling party of reaping a “crop of corruption” in the state, the Congress and the BJP talked about alleged mafias and sacrilege incidents. The SAD exhorted people to vote for the regional party.

However, the ruling AAP sought votes on the development plank while promising a Cabinet berth to Sanjeev Arora following his election. It also chided the opposition parties for running a negative campaign and highlighted the “checkered past” of Bharat Bhushan Ashu while reminding voters of corruption charges against the Congress heavyweight.

Senior BJP leaders also raised the issue of national security, mentioning Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. More recently, they brought up the 1984-anti-Sikh riots’ issue. They termed poverty as the “product of the Congress”.

The contrary stand of the Congress and AAP, which were part of the INDIA Bloc, in Punjab and outside, also triggered a fresh war of words between Congress, AAP and BJP leaders.

Confident candidates

The candidates, Sanjeev Arora, Jiwan Gupta, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Parupkar Singh Ghuman, seem confident of their respective win this time on the basis of which they are promising moon to the local electorate.

However, the SAD is focusing its campaign against national political parties while urging the voters to give them a chance to serve and get rid of the grand old parties and their leaders, whom they accused of “doing nothing” during their repeated stints in Delhi.

Independents and those from lesser known local parties are also doing their bit to win over the electorate in the urban seat.

Big fights

Arora, Gupta and Ashu are heading for a close contest in the Ludhiana West bypoll while Ghuman seems to be making up for the lost ground of his party.

Key issues

Unemployment, traffic congestion, drugs, sacrilege, plight of farmers, traders and industrialists, inflation, deteriorating law-and-order situation and unkept poll promises.

All set

Polling parties will leave for their respective destinations on Wednesday. The polling will be held on Thursday.

Ludhiana