Bypoll ticket to Sanjeev Arora sets off Kejriwal’s RS entry talk

The announcement of Sanjeev Arora, Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll has sparked speculation that either Arvind Kejriwal or Manish Sisodia might replace him in Parliament.

While AAP has officially denied that Kejriwal would seek a Rajya Sabha nomination from Punjab, the early announcement of Arora’s candidature — despite the bypoll not being officially scheduled and only due before July — has fuelled such rumours. The bypoll was necessitated by the recent death of AAP’s Ludhiana West MLA, Gurpreet Gogi Bassi.

MP promised bigger role in state?

• Sources say that Sanjeev Arora has been promised a ‘bigger’ role in the state government after he becomes an MLA
• His entry into state politics is aimed at consolidating the 42% Hindu vote base, keeping in line with the party’s earlier decision to appoint Aman Arora as the state party president

The timing of the announcement has intensified speculation about Kejriwal’s political future, especially after he lost his New Delhi Assembly seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma earlier this month.

When asked during a media interaction whether Kejriwal or Sisodia might be nominated for the Rajya Sabha from Punjab once Arora vacates his seat, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan did not dismiss the possibility. He stated, “Every party has its own mandate to decide who they will field as a nominee for the Rajya Sabha or as a candidate in polls. Where is the illegality in this? Even Manmohan Singh (the former Prime Minister) went to the Rajya Sabha from another state.”

Pressed further about opposition claims that AAP’s top leadership is eyeing entry into the Upper House, Sandhwan remarked, “Opposition parties make many such statements. As a Speaker, I am not involved in political decisions.”

The Tribune was the first to report on Arora's candidature for the bypoll. AAP currently has seven members in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, including Arora. The other AAP Rajya Sabha members from Punjab include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Balbir Singh Seechewal and Vikramjit Singh Sahney.

Party insiders reveal that nearly all of them had offered to vacate their Rajya Sabha seat for Arvind, but he declined. Neel Garg, AAP spokesperson, told The Tribune that Arora was announced as the party’s candidate for the bypoll to prepare the cadre well in advance. “The BJP’s rumour mills are working overtime to spread falsehoods about our party supremo. As of now, the byelection has not even been announced. Arora has been chosen due to his popularity in Ludhiana. He has not resigned as an MP and can contest the bypoll without doing so,” Garg explained. AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also dismissed the claims.

Earlier, opposition leaders took a dig at AAP and Kejriwal. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu questioned AAP's move, writing on X, “Is Kejriwal plotting his own RS entry? Is he desperate for a government bungalow in Delhi?”

Congress’ Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, “Work has started as per Kejriwal's plan. If he becomes a Rajya Sabha member, he will control Punjab as the ‘undercover CM’.” SAD’s Bikram Majithia remarked, “Arora will resign as MP, and Kejriwal or Sisodia will replace him in the RS. Once again, Punjab has been made to surrender before Delhi.”