Gupta BJP candidate for Ludhiana-West bypoll

With just two days left for filing nomination papers for the Ludhiana West bypoll, the BJP has declared senior leader Jiwan Gupta as its candidate for the constituency. The byelection is scheduled for June 19. The announcement of candidate was made from Delhi around 12.30 pm today.

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The decision to field Gupta has been welcomed by senior party leaders, who view it as a recognition of the core committee members’ contributions. Gupta, associated with the BJP for over 30 years, worked with the RSS in Fatehgarh Sahib before shifting to Ludhiana. He later rose through the ranks, serving as the general secretary of the state BJP and vice-president of BJP Punjab.

Speaking after his candidature was announced, Gupta expressed confidence in his victory, stating that his focus would now be entirely on Ludhiana West. Despite facing opponents with significant financial resources, he remained unfazed, emphasising that the BJP had chosen a common man to represent the constituency. “The BJP is confident and will win the seat,” he said upon his arrival in Ludhiana, where he was greeted by party leaders and supporters.

Parvin Bansal, another BJP leader, termed Gupta’s selection as appropriate, stating that the decision honoured the party’s core committee members. “We are extremely pleased with the choice of candidate,” Bansal said.

Until last night, speculation had been rife about advocate Bikram Sidhu and Rashi Aggarwal being strong contenders for the ticket. However, as many BJP leaders had predicted, the party kept its cards close to its chest until the final announcement.