Chandigarh, June 24 -- Factionalism within the Congress seems to have played a big role in the defeat of Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the Ludhiana West assembly byelection.

Despite an aggressive campaign, Ashu secured only 24,542 votes - a 27.22% share - down from 28.06% in the 2022 assembly elections, where he had garnered around 32,000 votes. This marks a noticeable erosion of the party's support in the region.

The absence of key party leaders, including Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, from the campaign trail further compounded Ashu's loss. Both leaders were noticeably absent from crucial events, with Warring's exclusion being particularly significant. This internal divisio...