LUDHIANA, JUNE 2: On the final day for nominations in the Ludhiana West by-election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) showcased a united front as candidate Jiwan Gupta filed his papers, drawing strong support from the party’s top brass.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, and leaders including Ashwani Sharma, Manpreet Singh Badal, Shwait Malik, and Som Parkash were present to endorse Gupta’s candidature. Despite Gupta’s late announcement as the BJP candidate, the gathering sent a clear message of strength.
Addressing party workers and locals, Jakhar took a jab at the opposition, recounting a recent video he received from Europe showing Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu “missing” him. “Ashu ji, here I am. Tumne pukara aur hum chale aaye,” Jakhar quipped, eliciting laughter and applause.
Jakhar accused both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of internal sabotage. “They don’t need external enemies — they have ‘aasteen ke saanp’ (snakes in the sleeve) who will destroy them from within,” he warned.
He urged BJP cadres to stay focused on their development agenda instead of getting distracted by rival parties. Taking a pointed dig at AAP, Jakhar alleged that Punjab was effectively being run remotely from Delhi. “It’s Delhi that decides who looks after the Secretariat, who monitors the Chief Minister’s residence, or even when to open the fridge to serve drinks,” he said with satire.
Meanwhile, Union minister Bittu drew on his own electoral success in Ludhiana West, urging voters to back Jiwan Gupta. “He is a committed worker of the RSS and BJP and truly deserves your vote,” Bittu stated.
The by-election, scheduled for June 19, is shaping up as a critical contest with the BJP seeking to strengthen its foothold in the region.
