AAP recruits industrialist Rajinder Gupta for Rajya Sabha bypoll from Punjab

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has announced industrialist Rajinder Gupta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls in Punjab, scheduled for October 24.

The decision was made by the AAP’s political affairs committee.

“The Political Affairs Committee announces the nomination of Rajinder Gupta as a candidate for election to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) by the elected members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly,” the party said in a statement.

The poll is being held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP’s Sanjeev Arora, who resigned from the Upper House after his election to the state Assembly.

Arora, whose term was to end on April 9, 2028, is currently a minister in the Punjab cabinet headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Trident Group Chairman Emeritus Gupta recently resigned as vice-chairman of the National Economic Policy and Planning Council and chairman of the Kali Devi Temple Advisory Committee, fueling speculation that the AAP may field him for the bypoll.

The AAP enjoys an overwhelming majority in the 117-member Assembly.

In June, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal ended speculation that he would enter the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.

Kejriwal’s decision not to enter the ring came after Arora won the Ludhiana West Assembly poll.

After Arora’s name was announced for the Ludhiana West bypoll, the opposition had claimed that Kejriwal would enter the Rajya Sabha in his place.

AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat, with Arora defeating his nearest rival, Bharat Bhushan Ashu of Congress, by 10,637 votes.

The bypass was necessitated by the death of sitting AAP MP Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.