Ludhiana West assembly bypoll: Cong's united show as Ashu files papers

Ludhiana, May 29 (PTI) The Congress put up a united show with many senior leaders remaining present when party candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the June 19 Ludhiana West assembly bypoll in Punjab.

Prominent among those who were present included Congress general secretary in-charge Punjab and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, MP and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma, Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, and MLAs Rana Gurjit Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Pargat Singh and Aruna Chaudhary.

Speaking on the occasion, Baghel expressed confidence that given the overwhelming response of thousands of party workers, the writing was on the wall that the Congress would win this seat with a record margin.

Addressing the gathering, Warring congratulated Ashu and expressed confidence that he would win the seat and mark a new beginning for the party in the state.

Warring appealed to the rank and file of the party to work wholeheartedly like they were fighting their personal election.

"Each one of you is going to be an MLA," he exhorted, adding, "It will be the victory of every party worker." Ashu expressed his gratitude to the party leadership, both the central and the state, for reposing faith in him and supporting him.

Taking a dig at the opposition parties, he said, "Our president is standing with us, now let AAP and the BJP tell us where are their state presidents?" Ashu's wife Mamta Ashu filed papers as a covering candidate for him.

The Ludhiana West seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.

The bypoll to Ludhiana West assembly seat will take place on June 19 and the counting will be held on June 23. PTI COR CHS KSS KSS