Double delight for Congress in city as Kishori Lal wins big in Amethi

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, June 4

It was double celebrations for the Congress in Ludhiana as Amrinder Singh Raja Warring won the Ludhiana seat by defeating BJP’s Ravneet Singh Bittu and besides him, Ludhiana-based Kishori Lal Sharma, who was chosen by the Gandhi family to lead the baton in Amethi, also won by defeating Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi.

Warring, who is the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), was pitched against Bittu after the latter joined the BJP. In Ludhiana it was a war of loyalist vs traitor.

As the results were declared, it was celebration time for the Congress. Party workers danced to the tunes of dhol and laddoos were distributed by them to celebrate the victory.

A victory procession was taken out by Warring along with his wife Amrita Warring while on their way to collect the certificate from the Returning officer at Punjab Agricultural University. Supporters showered rose petals as both of them marched forward in their car and supporters were following them in their cars while a large number of people were on their foot.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi shared a picture of her with Kishori Lal Sharma on X and wrote that she never doubted and always knew that he will win in the elections.

This was the first time in 25 years that the Congress pitched a non-Gandhi family candidate from the Amethi seat. While the family of Kishori Lal was away with him in Amethi since the declaration of his name, his father-in-law and mother-in-law were in Ludhiana at his home along with some other relatives.

Kiran Sharma, wife of Kishori Lal Sharma, while talking to The Tribune over phone said his dedication and hard work had paid off today. He has been playing a crucial role in political battles of the Gandhis in Rae Bareli and Amethi for over four decades now.

The mother-in-law of Kishori Lal said her son-in-law had given his entire life to the Congress and Amethi and today people of Amethi have paid him back. “He has won by a huge margin and people have shown their trust in him. My happiness knows no bounds today,” she said. Senior leaders from Ludhiana district Congress reached Kishori Lal’s residence at New Shivaji Nagar today with dhol and sweèts for the celebrations.

Former president of the District Congress Committee Ashwani Sharma said: “It’s a matter of pride for Ludhiana that son of our city has won in Amethi.” Sanjay Talwar, president of the District Congress Committee, said the Congress in Ludhiana has both its hands full.