Cong candidate’s wife alleges intimidation attempt by AAP

Tensions flared at the Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School polling booth on Thursday as Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s wife, Mamta Ashu, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Sanjeev Arora came face to face. Arora arrived as Mamta was standing at the gate of the polling station. The incident sparked a confrontation between Mamta and Arora’s supporters, leading to sharp allegations being levelled against the AAP.

Advertisement

Eyewitnesses reported that as both leaders came face-to-face at the booth, Mamta took a firm stand at the entrance, blocking the entry of several individuals accompanying Arora, claiming they were not authorised personnel. A heated exchange followed, with Mamta alleging that these individuals were outsiders who were being brought in to influence the polling and create chaos.

AAP brought goons from outside: Mamta

Speaking to the media outside the booth, Mamta made serious allegations against the AAP. She claimed the party had “brought in goons from other cities” to intimidate voters and disrupt the otherwise peaceful polling process.

“The polling process had been going on smoothly since morning. But now, the AAP is trying to create tension deliberately,” said Mamta.

In a further escalation of the charges, Mamta also accused the police of working under political influence, alleging that “local law enforcement is acting at the behest of the AAP leaders.”

“Instead of ensuring a fair and peaceful voting, the police are supporting the AAP’s disruptive tactics. This is completely unacceptable in a democratic setup,” she asserted.

The Ludhiana West bypoll has emerged as a high-stakes contest, with both the AAP and Congress deploying top leaders and heavy resources. With voter turnout being closely watched, incidents like these raise questions about election-day conduct and booth-level management by parties.

Meanwhile, at some polling stations—especially Ashu’s home polling booth at Model Gram—voters complained about names missing from the electoral roll. One couple who reached the Model Gram polling booth found that while the wife’s name was on the list, the husband’s name was missing, preventing him from casting his vote.