No Party Reaches Clear Majority Mark; Congress Claims 30 Seats, BJP Gains 19, SAD Secures 2
Wives of Two AAP MLAs Defeated in Elections; Delayed Polls Signal Shifting Political Dynamics in Ludhiana
Ludhiana, December 21: The much-delayed Ludhiana Municipal Corporation elections, held after a gap of over 20 months, have delivered surprising results, reflecting a shift in voter preferences. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had swept the 2022 assembly elections in the city, failed to maintain its winning momentum. Out of 95 wards, AAP could secure only 41 seats, falling short of the required majority mark.
The Indian National Congress (INC) won 30 wards, reaffirming its presence in the city’s political landscape. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 19 seats, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) managed to win just 2 wards. Independent candidates claimed 3 seats, while parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) failed to make an impact. The voter turnout in the city was recorded at 46.95%.
It is worth noting that the wives of two sitting AAP MLAs also suffered defeat in the elections. AAP candidate Sukhchain Kaur, wife of sitting Ludhiana West MLA Gurpreet Gogi, and AAP candidate Meenu Parashar, wife of Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi, faced defeat in the elections. Similarly, Congress candidate Mamta Ashu, wife of former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, also lost her contest.
The last general house of Ludhiana’s Municipal Corporation completed its term on March 25, 2023. However, elections for Ludhiana and other municipal bodies were delayed until the Supreme Court recently directed the Punjab government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to expedite the process. Following the court’s directive, the SEC announced elections for five municipal corporations and 42 municipal councils, including Ludhiana.
Notably, several key issues, including pollution in Buddha Dariya (commonly known as Buddha Nullah), inadequate solid waste management, illegal constructions, overcharging at parking lots, stray cattle, traffic congestion, and more, remained unresolved. Analysts believe these factors also significantly shaped voter preferences in this high-stakes election. Earlier, an AAP leader from Ludhiana had raised concerns regarding the ticket allocation for the MC elections.
Follow Us: