AAP legislator Raman Arora’s release to spice up politics in Jalandhar

The release of AAP legislator Raman Arora from the Kapurthala Central Jail on Monday after two back-to-back cases against him has spiced up the politics of Jalandhar Central Assembly segment.

After Arora was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau in connection with an alleged extortion and criminal intimidation case on May 23, AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia visited the city and announced industrialist Nitin Kohli as the halqa incharge.

Soon Kohli started calling shots in the working of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation and could be seen holding meetings with Mayor Vaneet Dhir, seeking priority in allocation of works for his segment.

As Kohli had been reportedly brought in with a hope that Arora would be made to resign and that there could be a bypoll, he inaugurated his office and remained aggressive on the field.

However, the release of Arora is set to disturb Kohli’s planning unless AAP leadership manages to control him.

Constitutionally, an MLA is authorised to inaugurate public works, however, if the same is done by Kohli in his presence, it would not be easy for him to tolerate.

Kohli said, “I have around 100 inauguration events lined up in the segment. I have no directions from party to stop doing so. So tomorrow, I shall be inaugurating two road laying works near the TV Centre.”

Meanwhile, party leaders are tight-lipped on how they plan to move forward after the release of Arora, who was earlier considered close to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his family.