All eyes on Ludhiana West: AAP, Congress, BJP, SAD brace for vote count on June 23
Babushahi Bureau
Ludhiana (Punjab), June 22, 2025— The political battleground of Ludhiana West is set for its climactic moment as vote counting for the high-stakes assembly by-election begins at 8:00 AM on June 23.
With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) all eyeing victory, the four-cornered contest is expected to reach a nail-biting conclusion.
The Election Commission, in a last-minute notification issued on Saturday, revised the counting start time from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, adding a layer of intrigue to the already intense political drama.
Voting took place on June 19 across 194 polling stations in the Ludhiana West assembly constituency, with a total voter turnout of 51.33%. Voters turned out steadily throughout the day, many vocal in support of their preferred candidates.
According to ground reports and exit polls, the public mood appears divided, with each party’s supporters confident of a win.
The key contenders in this high-voltage race are AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, Congress veteran Bharat Bhushan Ashu, BJP’s Jiwan Gupta, and SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman.
The by-election was necessitated by the untimely demise of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, making this a crucial battle for the ruling party to retain its seat while the opposition hopes to make significant inroads.
Counting will take place at Khalsa College for Women, under tight security. The district administration has set up 14 counting tables for EVMs and two additional tables for postal ballots and Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) votes.
Officials, including General Observer Rajeev Kumar and District Election Officer Himanshu Jain, have ensured all arrangements are in place for a peaceful and transparent process.
As Punjab watches closely, the outcome of this by-election could send strong political signals ahead of future state and national elections. The verdict on June 23 is expected to not only decide the next MLA from Ludhiana West but also reflect the current political pulse of urban Punjab.