No differences with party leaders: Ashu

Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu lost the Ludhiana West bypoll to AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora with a margin of 10,637 votes. He took responsibility for the defeat. At the same time, he said he does not have any differences with any of the party leaders.

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The Tribune team visited him at his office on Wednesday, where he was surrounded by workers and supporters, as usual. On being asked about his defeat, Ashu said: “Every election, whether you win or lose, teaches you a lesson. It was an important contest. It also taught me a lot. I could identify my weakness, which I need to work upon, and also my strength that I can improve further."

“We are still examining. If you win, you have responsibility. Even after loss, you have a responsibility in a healthy democracy by performing the role of a constructive opposition,” he said.

At the same time, he said, there was no infighting in the Congress camp and said it was the creation of media.

“Did you ever saw any infighting during the campaign, before or after? I am saying honestly there were no issues in this election. We tried to raise the issue of incompetence of the government, development of Ludhiana, which has come to a standstill. The city did not get what it deserved. Even the late AAP MLA had broken their own foundation stone as he was not happy with the treatment meted out to Ludhiana. In every way, the government was a failure. They couldn’t even list their achievements. They only won due to misuse of power,” he said.

Ashu denied to have written anything to the party high command, objecting to a few leaders coming for his campaigning.

He said the only thing he wrote to the high command was his resignation, after the defeat. “It was my election and defeat and I should not run away from my responsibility. My conscience told me that when you failed, you have no right to lead the party. As a worker, I will keep on serving the party and the constituency and also the city. My congratulations to Sanjeev Arora and if he needs my help to improve Ludhiana, I will be there,” the Congress leader said.

On being asked about party’s stand for the 2027 elections, Ashu said the party stood united with him. The state president might also have done his bit. Party leadership was more than united ever. May be there were some differences of opinion within. But in any battle for the party, everyone remains united.

When asked if he had asked the Vigilance SSP to send him summons to get sympathy votes, he said had it been the case, the SSP would have been dismissed by now.

“Mark my words, in next few days, the suspended SSP will be reinstated and get a better posting,” claimed Ashu.