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Riding high on its victory in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday held a roadshow in the heart of Ludhiana to express gratitude to the electorate. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia led the celebration, accompanied by AAP’s Punjab leadership and hundreds of jubilant supporters. The event was not only a thanksgiving procession but also a show of political strength, with both Mann and Sisodia delivering sharp political messages that targeted rivals and signaled the party’s future ambitions.
Mann, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd, minced no words in ridiculing the electoral debacle of traditional parties. “On one side stood the Congress, founded in 1885, and on the other, the Shiromani Akali Dal, formed in 1920. One lost by over 10,000 votes, and the other couldn’t even save its deposit. The people have spoken loud and clear. It's time the Akali Dal considers retiring from elections altogether,” Mann said, taking a direct dig at the opposition.
The Chief Minister credited the decisive 11,000-vote margin not just to AAP’s campaign, but to the public’s growing frustration with the status quo. “This wasn’t just a win — it was the people’s anger speaking through the ballot. They’ve shown they can distinguish between fake promises and real intent. And they’ve chosen AAP,” he added.
Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who made a rare public appearance following his release on bail, echoed the celebratory tone and injected fresh energy into AAP’s 2027 campaign narrative. “In 2022, we saw a wave. Today, work is happening at rocket speed. And in 2027, we’ll win with the force of a storm,” Sisodia declared, quoting party supremo Arvind Kejriwal. He also hailed the victory as a mandate for clean, progressive governance and a slap on the face of parties that sowed seeds of addiction and corruption in Punjab.
Sisodia emphasized that AAP’s rise was not an accident but a reflection of the people’s desire for change. “This is a win for every honest worker, every farmer, every student who believes Punjab deserves better. And we won’t stop. Our mission is to root out drugs, uplift education, and stand with every common citizen,” he said.
Sanjeev Arora, the newly-elected MLA from Ludhiana West and currently a Rajya Sabha MP, dedicated his win to the people and party workers. “This is not just my victory — it belongs to every person in Ludhiana West. I thank both my families — my AAP family and my Ludhiana family — for this support. We’ve just won the semifinal; now, we are getting ready to win the final with a superhit performance in 2027,” Arora said to loud cheers.
Arora, who is likely to be inducted as a Minister in the State Cabinet soon, noted that his past 100 days of public outreach helped him build trust. “The people’s voices matter most. Every concern, every grievance will be addressed with sincerity and urgency. Ludhiana West will lead Punjab’s transformation,” he promised.
CM Mann also used the platform to advise party workers to stay focused. “Avoid pointless social media wars. Our mission is to serve, not to shout. Let others talk; we’ll deliver,” he said, underscoring AAP’s evolving strategy of performance-based politics.
He also took pride in AAP’s simultaneous win in Gujarat's Visavadar by-election, calling it a sign of the party’s national momentum.