Will Kejriwal or Sisodia go to Rajya Sabha from Punjab? AAP fields Sanjeev Arora for Ludhiana West bypolls

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the Ludhiana West by-election in Punjab.

The move is seen as a strategic step, potentially paving the way for former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to enter the Rajya Sabha.

Kejriwal lost the recent Delhi Assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency, while Sisodia was defeated in Jangpura.

Speculation is growing that one of them may be nominated for the Upper House, but the final decision hinges on the outcome of the Ludhiana West by-election.

Sanjeev Arora, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha on April 10, 2022, with a tenure lasting until April 9, 2028, has now been fielded for the by-election. If he wins, his Rajya Sabha seat will be vacated, opening a possible route for Kejriwal or Sisodia.

AAP, which had been in power in Delhi for three consecutive terms, was defeated in the recent elections. The BJP secured a landslide victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats and returning to power in the national capital after nearly 27 years. AAP managed to secure only 22 seats.

Kejriwal, who had previously won the New Delhi seat multiple times, was defeated by Parvesh Sahib Verma, son of former Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma. This has led to internal demands within AAP to send Kejriwal to the Rajya Sabha.

AAP’s national general secretary, Sandeep Pathak, formally announced Sanjeev Arora’s candidature on Wednesday, further fueling political discussions about the party’s future course.