Rajya Sabha MP from AAP, Sanjeev Arora, recently won the Ludhiana West By-election, and hence, he will soon become an MLA from the constituency. It means, Rajya Sabha MP seat will now become vacant. Earlier, there were speculations that AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal would go to the Rajya Sabha as MP in place of Sanjeev Arora. However, Kejriwal recently set the record straight that he has no intention to go to the Upper House of the Parliament. Now, the question arises, who will replace him in the Rajya Sabha? Below is what we know so far-
Who can replace Sanjeev Arora as Rajya Sabha MP from AAP?
On Tuesday, when Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was asked whether another industrialist could be considered for Rajya Sabha, he did not dismiss the possibility, giving further fuel to political discussions.
Insiders suggest that the AAP may once again tap into Punjab’s industrial base, especially from Ludhiana, to replace Sanjeev Arora, who himself was a prominent industrialist. This could help the party strengthen its appeal among urban voters, traders, and industrialists ahead of the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly Elections.
The name of a prominent female industrialist from Ludhiana is reportedly under active consideration, while another name linked to Ludhiana and known for close ties with Sanjeev Arora—though previously surrounded by controversies—has also emerged in internal party discussions.
In addition to Ludhiana-based names, a well-known industrial family from the Doaba region is also reportedly being considered. This suggests that AAP may be eyeing a strategic balance between regional representation and electoral influence, especially with urban voters across Punjab.
Going by AAP's moves taken in the past few months, it is said that the party is trying to consolidate urban support in Punjab. The party’s recent decision to appoint prominent industrialist Nitin Kohli as Jalandhar Central Halka Incharge was seen as an effort to woo city voters.
Even during the recent farmer protests, the Bhagwant Mann government cleared roads on traders' request. Clearing farmers' protest was seen as a calculated decision by the AAP government in Punjab to avoid alienating Punjab’s influential business class.
With the Rajya Sabha vacancy now open, all eyes are on how AAP uses this opportunity to reinforce its urban voter strategy.