Ludhiana West bypoll: Public, religious places become campaign hotspots

With the Ludhiana West bypoll campaign in full swing, candidates are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to connect with voters. While door-to-door outreach and exclusive meetings remain part of their strategy, public parks and religious places have emerged as their preferred campaign hotspots.

Every day, candidates make scheduled visits to temples, gurdwaras and parks across the constituency. They have compiled lists of religious sites and coordinated with their management committees to ensure their presence. Their goal is clear—to remind people of their candidacy and seek their support. Even those who rarely visited these places have now made it part of their routine to engage with voters.

BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta wasted no time after receiving his ticket, heading straight to Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple in Haibowal and a local gurdwara to pay obeisance. “After visiting the temple, I met with the committee and urged them to support me. I also interacted with people at religious places, listening to their feedback and suggestions,” Gupta said. He added that his visits to public parks had been equally fruitful, as many residents had expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling party and welcomed his candidacy.

SAD candidate Parupkar Singh Ghuman followed a similar approach, visiting the same temple and gurdwaras soon after his nomination. Just yesterday, he spent considerable time at a gurdwara, interacting with devotees and reinforcing his campaign message.

AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora, whose ticket was announced three months ago, has already covered most of the constituency’s parks and religious sites. Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu visited Shiv Shakti Temple today, seeking blessings for his electoral success. He also engaged with the temple committee and devotees.

Campaigns go digital

Candidates never visit these locations alone. A dedicated media team accompanies them, capturing photos and videos of their interactions. These visuals are later edited with background music and uploaded to social media, amplifying their outreach.

No invitation ignored

One candidate, requesting anonymity, admitted that no event invitation is ignored during election season. “Whether it’s a wedding, birthday party, kirtan, funeral or bhog ceremony, we make sure to attend. Our presence increases our visibility, and it certainly

helps our campaign,” the candidate added.

As the race intensifies, candidates continue to leverage every opportunity to connect with voters, ensuring their presence is felt across Ludhiana West.