19 days to go, BJP fields Jiwan Gupta for Ludhiana West bypoll

Gupta, a core group member of the BJP and former state general secretary, will be contesting his maiden Assembly election. A seasoned party worker, he hails from Bassi Pathana in Fatehgarh Sahib district, where he completed his schooling before his family shifted to Ludhiana.

Having started his political journey with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Gupta has been associated with the BJP for over two decades. He rose through the ranks to become state general secretary when Ashwani Sharma was the Punjab BJP president. Known to be part of Sharma’s core team, Gupta was among those replaced in July 2023, when Sunil Jakhar took over the state leadership.

Despite not having contested any polls earlier, Gupta has remained active in the party’s organisational and disciplinary affairs. In September 2023, he expelled four BJP leaders from the Garhshankar constituency for alleged indiscipline.

A vocal critic of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Gupta has targeted the ruling party over unfulfilled promises and the deteriorating drug situation in Punjab.

Given recent security concerns, Gupta is one of five BJP leaders in Ludhiana provided with police protection. He also maintains an active presence on social media to engage with the public and share party updates.

Confirming the late announcement, Ludhiana BJP district president Rajnish Dhiman said, “No doubt the name has been declared late, but within two days the entire political equation in the constituency will change. BJP already has a strong presence here, and we are ready to campaign with full strength.”

In the 2022 Assembly elections, BJP’s Bikram Singh Sidhu had secured over 28,000 votes and stood third, ahead of the Shiromani Akali Dal. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Ravneet Singh Bittu led in all six urban segments of Ludhiana, including Ludhiana West, bolstering the party’s hopes for a strong performance this time.

The bypoll, scheduled for June 19, was necessitated following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh Gogi in January under mysterious circumstances involving a gunshot injury. Counting of votes will take place on June 23.