Chandigarh, Feb 26: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the Ludhiana West assembly bypoll, triggering speculation from opposition parties that Arvind Kejriwal might replace him in the Upper House.
The seat fell vacant following the tragic demise of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, who succumbed to a gunshot injury last month after his licensed weapon was accidentally discharged. The Election Commission has yet to announce the bypoll schedule.
Opposition Alleges Kejriwal’s Entry into Rajya Sabha
Arora, a Ludhiana-based industrialist and philanthropist, will have to vacate his Rajya Sabha seat if he wins the by-poll. Opposition leaders, including Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Singh Majithia, have claimed that Kejriwal or former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia could be nominated to the Upper House in his place."If Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora is contesting the Ludhiana West bypoll, I am sure Arvind Kejriwal will take his Rajya Sabha seat," Khaira posted on X. Majithia echoed similar sentiments, alleging that Punjab was being sidelined for AAP's Delhi-centric politics.
AAP Dismisses Speculation
AAP’s Punjab spokesperson Neel Garg refuted the allegations, calling them baseless. "The by-poll date hasn’t been announced yet, and the opposition has already started spreading rumors. Any decision on the Rajya Sabha seat will be taken after the bypoll results," he stated.The ruling party currently holds seven Rajya Sabha seats from Punjab, with members including Sandeep Pathak, Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Balbir Singh Seechewal, and Vikramjit Singh.
Meanwhile, Arora expressed gratitude towards the party leadership for his nomination. "Humbled and grateful to AAP for reposing faith in me. As someone deeply connected to Ludhiana, I look forward to serving my people with dedication," he shared on X.
With the bypoll date awaited, the political landscape in Punjab remains charged, as AAP looks to retain its stronghold while the opposition keeps up its criticism of Kejriwal’s leadership strategy.
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