Constituency watch: Ludhiana West | A Cong stronghold with a legacy of ministers, now set for crucial bypoll

To begin with, Congress stalwart Harnam Das Johar won from here in 1980, 1985, 1992, and 2002, holding important portfolios such as Higher and School Education, Local Bodies, and Rehabilitation during his 2 terms i.e from 1992-1997 and 2002-2007. He has also remained Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha after winning from the seat.

Bharat Bhushan Ashu, also from the Congress, secured back-to-back victories in 2012 and 2017 and served as the Food and Civil Supplies Minister (2017–2022).

The Akali Dal also registered two victories from the seat in 1997 and in 2007.

While Mahesh Inder Grewal won from here in 1997 and became Medical Education Minister, in 2007, Harish Rai Dhanda became Chief Parliamentary Secretary after clinching the seat.

Notably, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP led in this segment, followed by Congress and AAP. When in alliance, SAD always contested from this seat.

The Janata Party’s A Vishwanathan won the first election in 1977, and AAP’s Gurpreet Gogi made a breakthrough by winning the seat in 2022. The bypoll was necessitated owing to his untimely death in January 2025. The constituency has produced three cabinet ministers and one chief parliamentary secretary—making it one of the most politically significant urban seats in Punjab.

Current political scenario

After the SAD-BJP alliance ended in 2020, both parties began contesting elections separately. In the 2022 Assembly polls, BJP stood third in Ludhiana West with over 28,000 votes, while SAD received just around 10,000 votes. Notably, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP led in this segment, followed by Congress and AAP. When in alliance, SAD always contested from this seat. This time, the seat will see a quadrangular contest.

Local issues

Despite being home to key areas such as Model Town, Model Town Extension, Sarabha Nagar, Gurdev Nagar, and Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, Ludhiana West faces persistent civic challenges. Ravindra Vatsyayan, an Ayurveda scholar and a resident, said, “Every time it rains, power goes out and water supply stops. Why can’t we have power backup for tubewells or overhead water tanks like Chandigarh?”

Aaditya Kumar rued the absence of good reading spaces. “There are enough liquor shops, eating joints but not a single good public library,” he said. Cleanliness of Sidhwan Canal and the promotion of cycling to ease traffic congestion are also on the list of public demands.

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