CHANDIGARH: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today announced Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the upcoming Ludhiana (West) assembly by-elections.
A formal announcement to this effect was made today by the party’s national general secretary (organisation), Dr Sandeep Pathak.
This assembly seat had fallen vacant following the mysterious death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi on January 10 due to a gunshot. As per rules, the bypoll to elect a new MLA from a vacant seat has to be held within six months. The election commission of India is yet to announce the date of this bypoll and it is speculated that it might be held in June this year.
Sources said that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had met Arora in New Delhi yesterday and asked him to contest the Ludhiana West bypoll while assuring him a key role and responsibility in the state government.
The buzz in political circles is that if Arora wins this bypolls and becomes a MLA he might be made a minister in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet. "If Arora wins the by-poll and becomes a legislator then a major reshuffle will take place,” said a party insider privy to the development.
Sources point out that the entry of Arora’s entry into state politics is aimed at consolidating the Hindu vote bank in the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making inroads into the urban base during last year’s parliamentary elections in the state with 18 per cent vote share. "A prominent Hindu face and he will be given key role and responsibility,” said sources.
The 61-year-old Arora from Ludhiana is a business tycoon-philanthropist-turned-politician and runs ‘Krishna Pran Breast Cancer Charitable Trust’ in memory of his parents who died of cancer. He has so far adopted over 300 cancer patients.
He is also the vice-president of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). He had recently adopted three district hospitals in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar for a complete revamp and upgrade.
Arora is also a member of the Apex Council of Punjab Cricket Association and Ved Mandir Trust, Daresi, besides serving two consecutive terms as the secretary of Sutlej Club of Ludhiana. He is also a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare for the third consecutive year.
Arora wrote on X, "humbled and grateful to the leadership @AamAadmiParty for reposing faith in me to contest the Ludhiana West by-elections. As someone deeply connected to my hometown, I look forward to serving my people with dedication and sincerity."
In the 2022 assembly election, Gogi of AAP defeated two-time Congress MLA and cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in this assembly constituency.
Meanwhile, Ashu who is facing Vigilance Bureau and Enforcement Directorate cases, is the frontrunner for the Congress ticket. On the other hand, the BJP is likely to again give party ticket to Bikram Singh Sidhu. On the other hand, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is yet to take a call for this bypoll as the party did not contest the four by-elections held last year.
Senior Shirmani Akali Dal leader Bikram Majitha wrote on X, "AAP has nominated Rajya sabha MP @MPSanjeev Arora as party candidate from Ludhiana West. How he will resign as MP and in his place @ArvindKejriwal or @Msisodia be made Rajya Sabha member? Once again Punjab has been made to surrender before Delhi. Punjab is paying price but @BhagwantMann is unfazed…he is least bothered about Punjab and Punjabis.’’
