With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, the political future of Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora has become a subject of discussion in Ludhiana West. Arora won the constituency in the June 2025 by-election on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. However, his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2026 in an alleged money-laundering case has raised questions about whether he will contest again.
AAP has indicated that it is not actively looking for another candidate for Ludhiana West. Party leaders have reportedly expressed continued support for Arora and indicated that a family member could be considered if necessary. No final candidate announcement for 2027 has been made.
The constituency has witnessed changes in political fortunes over the past five Assembly elections.
In 2007, Shiromani Akali Dal's Harish Rai Dhanda won with 46,021 votes, defeating his nearest rival by 14,404 votes.
In 2012, Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu won with 69,125 votes and a margin of 35,922. Ashu retained the seat in 2017, polling 66,627 votes and winning by 36,521.
The political picture changed in 2022 when AAP's Gurpreet Bassi Gogi defeated Ashu by 7,512 votes, securing 40,443 votes.
Following Gogi's death, Ludhiana West went to a by-election in 2025. AAP fielded Sanjeev Arora, who won with 35,179 votes. Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu received 24,542 votes, while BJP's Jiwan Gupta polled 20,323. Arora's winning margin was 10,637 votes.
The municipal records show work at different stages across Ludhiana West, but they also identify projects that remain incomplete or are awaiting administrative action.
The key questions are whether the ongoing projects meet local needs, whether the recorded timelines are followed and whether the work improves services on the ground.
Ludhiana West is an urban constituency with residents from varied religious, occupational and socioeconomic backgrounds. Its commercial and industrial profile makes business conditions, civic infrastructure, employment and local development relevant issues for voters.
Arora won the 2025 by-election after resigning from the Rajya Sabha to contest from Ludhiana West. The by-election was necessitated by the death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi.
AAP has reportedly continued to back Arora and has not announced a replacement for the constituency. The party's final decision will depend on its assessment closer to the election.
His arrest has added uncertainty to the question of candidature, but an arrest alone does not automatically disqualify a person from contesting an election.
According to reports published in September 2026, Arora was lodged in Bhondsi jail in Gurugram following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2026 in an alleged money-laundering case.
Following his arrest, the Punjab government redistributed his ministerial portfolios among other ministers. Arora continued to remain a Cabinet Minister without a portfolio, according to published reports.
The allegations against him remain subject to legal proceedings and should not be treated as established facts in the absence of a final conviction.
As of October 14, 2026, no final candidate announcement for Ludhiana West has been made by AAP.