Voting for the high-stakes Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll began at 7 am on Thursday, with major candidates from all political parties casting their votes early and urging citizens to come out and exercise their democratic right.
AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora, accompanied by his family, cast his vote in the morning hours. Prior to voting, the family paid obeisance at a gurdwara, temple, and Dargah Pir in Phillaur. Speaking to mediapersons after casting his vote, Arora appealed to the electorate: “I have cast my vote. I appeal to the people of Ludhiana to come out and cast theirs too.” Arora, a Rajya Sabha MP and industrialist, is representing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in this crucial by-election.
Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a former cabinet minister and two-time MLA from this constituency, voted at booth numbers 72–76 at Malwa Senior Secondary School. After casting his vote, he said, “I have fulfilled my constitutional duty and appeal to all voters to do the same. People are participating in the election process, and I urge everyone to vote actively.”
BJP nominee Jeevan Gupta and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman also cast their votes and echoed similar sentiments, encouraging public participation in the democratic exercise.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took to social media platform X to appeal to voters. In a post written in Punjabi, he said, “My appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is that you must exercise your right to vote. You must fulfil your duty for the development and progress of your area. Do not consider today a holiday, definitely go and cast your vote.”
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Himanshu Jain also cast his vote, reinforcing the message that every vote counts.
Polling will continue until 6 pm, and the counting of votes is scheduled for June 23. The bypoll is being closely watched as a barometer of AAP’s popularity in urban Punjab, with both the ruling party and the opposition heavily invested in the outcome.
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