AAP Nominates RS Member for Punjab Assembly Byelection, Sparking Kejriwal Speculations

Chandigarh, Feb 26 (NationPress) The announcement of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as the candidate for the Ludhiana (West) Assembly byelection has ignited speculations regarding the potential entry of the party's leader Arvind Kejriwal into the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, should Arora secure victory.

Nonetheless, the party has categorically refuted claims that Kejriwal is making a move to the Rajya Sabha.

By nominating the current MP, the rumors are intensifying that Kejriwal, who recently endured a significant defeat not just for his party but also in his own constituency during the Delhi Assembly elections, is poised for a Rajya Sabha position in Arora's stead.

Kejriwal lost the New Delhi seat to BJP's Parvesh Verma by over 4,000 votes in the recently concluded elections.

The Ludhiana (West) position became vacant due to the passing of Gurpreet Gogi Bassi, 58, who succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained at his residence last month.

The Election Commission of India has yet to reveal the election timetable for this seat.

AAP's seven Rajya Sabha members include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, educationist Ashok Mittal, environmentalist and religious figure Balbir Singh Seechewal, entrepreneur Vikramjit Singh Sahney, along with Sanjeev Arora.

Insiders within the party have indicated that all six AAP Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab have also extended their seats to Kejriwal, though the former Delhi Chief Minister has turned down the proposal.

Dispelling the rumors of Kejriwal's candidacy, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar stated, “Arvind Kejriwal is not going to Rajya Sabha… earlier, media sources suggested that he would become the Chief Minister of Punjab.”

“Arvind Kejriwal is the national convenor of AAP. I acknowledge that his demand is quite high, but he is not confined to any single seat,” she mentioned to the media in Delhi.

However, Partap Singh Bajwa, Leader of Opposition in Punjab and a Congress figure, asserted on Tuesday that Kejriwal’s entry into the Rajya Sabha “is inevitable.”

Bajwa claimed that Kejriwal initially contemplated contesting for the seat vacated by the late AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi, but ultimately abandoned the plan due to concerns about a potential backlash in Punjab.

On the previous day, Congress legislator Pargat Singh raised a question during a special session of the Legislative Assembly regarding the rationale behind the Punjab government's provision of security to Kejriwal. “The CM mentioned that security personnel were provided to the @MamataOfficial government on a paid basis. Now, tell the citizens of Punjab, how much has Arvind Kejriwal compensated the Punjab treasury for this security?” former Olympian Pargat Singh wrote on X.

Earlier this week, Leader of Opposition Bajwa stirred controversy in state politics by claiming that 32 AAP MLAs are in contact with him, expressing a desire to switch allegiances. He accused the government of postponing the promised honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month, which was pledged before the 2022 Assembly elections.

In retaliation, AAP state President Aman Arora launched a fierce critique of Bajwa, alleging that his shift to the BJP was imminent.

Arora accused the Congress leader of betraying the electorate and concentrating solely on his personal ambitions. “Pratap Bajwa has already secured his advance booking with the BJP. I challenge Rahul Gandhi to interrogate Bajwa about his recent activities in Bengaluru and which senior BJP leaders he met there,” stated Arora.

“It is evident that his script is being crafted in the BJP's offices, similar to what has occurred with his brother who has already aligned with the BJP,” he asserted.

Addressing Bajwa's unfounded claims regarding AAP legislators allegedly eager to join the Congress, Arora clarified to the media, “Bajwa is disseminating rumors and making frivolous comments that lack any substance. The Congress leader is oblivious to the status of his own MLAs. He lost Sandeep Jakhar to the BJP, yet he talks about undermining our government.”

“His assertions are absurd and lack any factual foundation,” said Arora, dismissing Bajwa’s threats to destabilize the AAP government as ridiculous.

“The AAP government in Punjab holds 94 MLAs. Even if we were to subtract Bajwa’s imaginary count of 32 MLAs, we would still retain 62 MLAs, a solid majority,” he noted.

He remarked that the Congress has a mere 15 MLAs in Punjab. “Even if you include another 32 to his count, they still would not be able to establish a government. This illustrates the level of desperation and delusion he is operating under,” Arora noted.

Arora advised Bajwa to concentrate on managing his own party, which is currently facing internal turmoil.