AAP govt may try to implicate Bharat Bhushan Ashu ahead of Ludhiana West bypolls, alleges Congress

Congress leaders on Saturday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab may again try to implicate its Ludhiana West candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu now that elections are round the corner.

Ashu was booked in a foodgrain-transportation scam in 2022 by the Punjab vigilance bureau. However, the high court quashed the FIR against him in December 2024.

Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leaders, including former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretaries Alok Sharma and Ravindra Dalvi, former ministers Pargat Singh and Rakesh Pandey, along with Ashu, warned against any such move to implicate him.

This was the first press conference of the Congress in Ludhiana after Ashu was named the party candidate for the Ludhiana West by-election.

AICC secretary Alok Sharma said, “The AAP has been rejected by the people of Delhi and now Arvind Kejriwal is trying to make backdoor entry into the Parliament through Punjab. They are trying all dirty tricks and may even again implicate Ashu in some false case.”

Sharma noted that a senior AAP leader, who has three more years before his Rajya Sabha term ends, has been forced to contest the Ludhiana West bypoll, when just a year-and-a-half of the Punjab assembly term is left.

Former CM Channi said the AAP government had not brought a single development project to Ludhiana. “Merely whitewashing the ITI or civil hospital does not mean anything,” he said.

Channi said he will be staying permanently in Ludhiana till the completion of elections.

Ashu alleged the AAP had only resorted to vendetta from the day it came to power. He said he stood vindicated after the high court quashed an FIR against him as it was registered for “sheer political vendetta”.

Ashu skips meeting with Warring

Meanwhile, speculation over infighting and groupism within the Congress gained momentum after Ashu missed a meeting with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who had visited the former’s residence in Model Gram on Saturday evening.

Pertinently, Warring and Congress’ district president Sanjay Talwar were also conspicuous by their absence at the press conference in the morning.

Speaking to media outside Ashu’s residence, Warring said he had informed Ashu about the visit through AICC secretary Alok Sharma. “He may have been stuck somewhere,” Warring said, attempting to downplay the matter.

When questioned about possible infighting, Warring dismissed it as mere speculation. “There is no groupism in the party. We all are united and will ensure a grand victory for Ashu,” Warring stated.

Later, Ashu issued a press statement in which he claimed he was unaware of Warring’s visit, adding that had he known about it in advance, he would have stayed home to welcome the leader. He added that he was grateful for Warring’s visit. “For me, Ludhiana West is not just an election, it’s a matter of duty and lifelong service to my people. This election holds great significance, not just for me, but for the future of Punjab. Let’s all stay united for the greater good,” he added.