BJP workers, supporters elated over choice of candidate

The name of Jiwan Gupta as the BJP candidate for the upcoming Ludhiana West bypoll is welcomed by a majority of the workers and supporters of the party. Local leaders have presented a united face and extended all support to Gupta in the election. Once the BJP candidate reached the BJP office in Model Town Extension here, the entire local leadership came to the place to welcome him.

Spokesperson for the state BJP and senior leader Anil Sarin said the party was united and all local leaders, including Renu Thapar, Gurdev Sharma Debi, Rajnish Dhiman, etc, have come to support the most ‘eligible’ candidate.

“He has been a member of the RSS and the core committee and knows the party’s ideology well. Gupta will prove his mettle in the upcoming Ludhiana West elections,” Sarin said.

Meanwhile, in view of the byelection, the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had already appointed former MP Avinash Rai Khanna as the in-charge and former Union Minister Vijay Sampla as the co-in-charge. On Saturday, the party appointed in-charges for the five mandals (divisions) of the West Assembly constituency.

Former minister Manoranjan Kalia will be the in-charge of Rishi Nagar mandal, along with state party vice-president Vikramjit Singh Cheema. Ashwani Sharma, MLA from Pathankot and former state president, will oversee Bharat Nagar mandal along with state general secretary Jagmohan Raju with him. Former state president Shwait Malik will lead Agar Nagar mandal, aided by state general secretary Rakesh Rathod. Former MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon will be in-charge of SBS Nagar mandal along with state general secretary Parminder Barad with him. Former Punjab minister Tikshan Sood will head Ghumar mandal along with state vice-president Subhash Sharma.