Chandigarh, June 24 -- Factionalism within the Congress seems to have played a big role in Bharat Bhushan Ashu defeat 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 division within the party appears to have severely hampered Ashu's chances of victory. While former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with senior leaders Rana Gurjeet Singh and Pargat Singh, took charge of the campaign, the exclusion of Warring and Bajwa left the party fractured. Their absence from key campaigning activities, including Ashu's roadshow, highlighted the ongoing rift within the state leadership. The loss is seen as a blow to the faction led by Channi, who had hoped a victory would help regain momentum and challenge Warring's leadership as the state Congress chief. Despite his efforts, Congress could not close the gap with AAP, which emerged victorious by a larger margin than in the 2022 elections. In the aftermath of the defeat, rival factions within Congress argue that the blame cannot be placed solely on Ashu's shoulders. They point out that the exclusion of senior leaders, particularly from the Hindu and Dalit communities, contributed to the party's failure to connect with its core voter base. "There's no denying the deep divisions within the party. What's concerning is that the BJP is making inroads into our traditional Hindu vote bank," said a senior Congress leader. "The overrepresentation of Jat Sikh leaders has created resentment, and this is benefiting the BJP. We need a Hindu face as the state Congress chief to restore faith among our supporters." The rift within the Congress is expected to widen, with Raja Warring's faction preparing to escalate the issue of their exclusion from the campaign. People familiar with the matter said that Warring has already flagged this matter with the party high command. Meanwhile, the Channi-led faction is likely to push for greater influence within the PPCC and key positions ahead of the 2027 polls....