Congress Crisis Deepens: Senior Leaders Quit After Ludhiana West By-Election Debacle

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has accepted the resignations of three senior Punjab Congress leaders, including Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Pargat Singh and Kushaldeep Singh Kikki Dhillon, following the party's defeat in the Ludhiana West by-election. Ashu, who was the Congress candidate in the bypoll and Acting President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), took moral responsibility for the loss and stepped down. Singh and Dhillon, who were Vice Presidents in the Punjab Congress, also tendered their resignations in solidarity with Ashu.

Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel confirmed that the party has accepted the resignations, expressing gratitude for the leaders' services and wishing them well for the future. The development highlights internal rifts within the Punjab Congress, which became apparent during the by-election campaign. There were visible cracks in coordination between Ashu and PPCC President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who were excluded from each other's campaign strategies.

Ashu's campaign faced challenges, with the AAP government being criticized for allegedly misusing power. Ashu had accused the AAP government of neglecting Ludhiana and claimed that the party's focus on social media governance wasn't enough to address the city's issues. The by-election was seen as a test of the Congress party's strength in Punjab, and the outcome has raised questions about leadership unity and electoral strategy ahead of future political battles.