Ashu & 2 Others Resign as Congress Loses Ludhiana West By-Poll
The Indian National Congress (Congress) is reeling from a major setback in the state of Punjab, following the party’s loss in the Ludhiana West by-poll. The by-poll, held on February 20, saw the Congress candidate, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, go down to defeat, and in a rare display of accountability, Ashu took responsibility for the party’s loss and resigned from his post as the Working President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).
Ashu, who was the Congress candidate in the by-poll, contested against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate, Hardeep Singh Dumbar, and lost by a margin of over 12,000 votes. Following the defeat, Ashu announced his resignation from the PPCC Working President post, citing his failure to deliver the desired results.
“I take full responsibility for the loss. I am resigning from the post of PPCC Working President,” Ashu said in a statement.
However, Ashu was not alone in his decision to resign. Two other senior party leaders, MLA Pargat Singh and former MLA Kushaldeep Singh (Kikki Dhillon), who are also PPCC’s vice presidents, stood by Ashu during the campaign and also resigned in solidarity.
Pargat Singh, a five-time MLA from Kapurthala, and Kikki Dhillon, a former MLA from Jalandhar, have been vocal critics of the Congress leadership in the past, and their resignation is seen as a major blow to the party.
The resignation of these three leaders is a significant development, as they are not only prominent figures in the party but also have a strong following in the state. Their decision to quit the party is expected to send shockwaves throughout the organization, and may lead to further resignations.
The loss in the Ludhiana West by-poll is a major embarrassment for the Congress, which had been hoping to win the seat to boost its morale and prepare for the upcoming assembly elections. The party had invested heavily in the campaign, with Ashu being a close aide of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
The defeat is also seen as a warning sign for the Congress, which is struggling to regain its lost ground in the state. The party had won just 17 seats in the 2017 assembly elections, and its vote share has been steadily declining since then.
The Congress’s loss in the Ludhiana West by-poll is also seen as a victory for the SAD, which has been trying to make a comeback in the state. The party had been out of power in the state since 2017, but its victory in the by-poll is expected to give it a boost going into the upcoming assembly elections.
The resignation of Ashu, Pargat Singh, and Kikki Dhillon is a major setback for the Congress, and it remains to be seen how the party will regroup and recover from this defeat. The Congress leadership will need to take a hard look at its strategy and tactics, and make some significant changes if it wants to revive its fortunes in the state.
In conclusion, the resignation of Ashu and two others as Congress loses Ludhiana West by-poll is a major development in Punjab politics. The loss is a significant setback for the Congress, and it remains to be seen how the party will recover from this defeat. The resignation of these three leaders is a major blow to the party, and it will be interesting to see how the party regroups and recovers from this setback.
