A Cong Vs Cong marks party’s electoral battle in Ludhiana West constituency

The Congress campaign began with a public display of strained relationship between PCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Bharat Bhushan Ashu. The absence of key state leaders from the campaign, and the public perception of disunity weakened the party’s coordination, messaging, and worker morale. While efforts like deploying star campaigners and leveraging Ashu’s local sympathy mitigated some damage, they could not fully overcome the narrative of factionalism amplified by AAP.

The bypoll has once again highlighted the urgent need for Congress to address its internal divisions to mount a cohesive challenge in future Punjab elections, particularly in 2027. The experience in Ludhiana West serves as a cautionary tale of how intra-party rivalry can affect electoral prospects, even in a historically strong constituency. Ludhiana West, an urban constituency with a significant business community, has been a Congress stronghold, with the party winning the seat six times in the past four decades. Ashu, who secured victories in 2012 and 2017, was fielded again to capitalise on his local influence and past developmental record.

However, the Congress has faced competition from AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora even as the challenge has been milder from SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman, and the BJP Jiwan Gupta.

Warring and Ashu share a strained relationship which continued throughout the campaign despite an odd photo opportunity showing unity.

For instance, Ashu was absent from a key strategy meeting organised by Warring in Ludhiana East on May 29 aimed at mobilising party workers for his own candidacy. This absence raised eyebrows, with political observers speculating that it stemmed from personal differences or discomfort with other attendees, such as the Bains brothers (Simarjeet and Balwinder Singh Bains), who had recently merged their Lok Insaaf Party with Congress.

Reports emanating from the campaign highlighted how Warring barely mentioned Ashu in his speeches. At a press conference held by Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, in Ludhiana Monday, the campaign in-charge Rana Gurjeet Singh maintained distance from Warring, and Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of Opposition, reportedly attempted to leave abruptly before being persuaded to stay.

Even on Tuesday when Ashu concluded his campaign with a roadshow, Warring and Bajwa were nowhere to be seen. The party’s district president (urban) Sanjay Talwar was also absent.

These public displays of disunity signaled internal friction. Former CM Charanjit Singh Channi emerged as a key campaigner for Ashu, leading some to speculate that a potential Ashu victory would bolster Channi’s faction within the party rather than Warring’s. Several prominent Punjab Congress leaders, including Warring, Ludhiana district Congress chief Sanjay Talwar, and Bajwa, were notably absent from Ashu’s campaign materials, such as posters, billboards, and social media graphics. Instead, these featured national leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge.

Ashu on his part, received support of Rana Gurjeet, and former minister Sunder Sham Arora. Other leaders like Pargat Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Raj Kumar Verka and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria also pitched in while Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa stayed away. Former MLA Dalvir Goldy, who has recently returned to party fold after a stint in AAP also campaigned extensively along with his wife Simrat.

AAP leaders, including Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, capitalised on Congress’ internal divisions, publicly mocking the lack of communication between Warring and Ashu. Arora said, “What can be expected from a party where the state president and the candidate do not speak to each other?”

Ashu’s wife, Mamta Ashu, played a significant role in managing the campaign, attempting to compensating for the absence of broader party support. The reliance on family and close associates highlighted the lack of institutional backing from the state unit. Factionalism resulted in Congress’s campaign messaging becoming inconsistent. While Ashu focused on his past developmental record and criticised AAP’s governance, the absence of unified support from state leaders meant that the party failed to present a cohesive narrative. Ashu’s team resorted to emotional, grassroots-driven social media content. While this approach gained local traction, it lacked the polish and reach of AAP’s campaign, which was backed by high-profile leaders like Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Mann and virtually the entire cabinet.

AAP has exploited Congress’s disunity to portray it as a dysfunctional party. By highlighting the rift between Warring and Ashu, AAP positioned itself as a more credible alternative.

Ashu’s legal troubles, including Vigilance Bureau summons in a school land misuse case just weeks before the bypoll, were framed by Congress as AAP’s vendetta politics. Despite the challenges, Congress made some efforts to project unity and bolster Ashu’s campaign. The party deployed around 40 senior leaders, including Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Rajasthan’s former deputy CM Sachin Pilot, and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi, to campaign for Ashu. These high-profile figures aimed to compensate for the absence of local leaders and energise voters.

As campaign in-charge, Rana Gurjeet played a pivotal role in strategising and mobilising support. He downplayed his individual contribution, emphasising a collective effort, but his active involvement was a stabilising factor.

Ashu leveraged public sympathy arising from perceived AAP vendetta, particularly the Vigilance Bureau summons. He framed himself as a victim of political targeting, which resonated with some voters.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Ashu’s team claimed that Warring was present at the roadshow Tuesday, however, he was nowhere seen in photos. When contacted, Warring said, “I was in Ludhiana for some personal work but did not attend the roadshow. I have no idea why my name was in the press release claiming I attended it.”

With inputs from Divya Goyal Gopal