Well-known industrialist Rajinder Gupta is likely to be the Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-elections, scheduled for October 24.
Gupta, the chairman emeritus of the Trident Group, is expected to file his nomination for the lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat in the coming week. In preparation for the election, he submitted his resignation on Friday as the Vice Chairman of the State Economic Policy and Planning Board and as Chairperson of the Sri Kali Devi Advisory Committee.
In 2022, Gupta was chosen as the Vice Chairman of the Planning Board and as Chairperson of the temple advisory committee in Patiala in August this year. He has served as Vice Chairman/Deputy Chairman of the Planning Board under both the previous Congress and SAD-BJP governments and has retained the status of a cabinet minister.
Official sources in AAP said Gupta resigned on a positive note and is likely to be the party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-elections. The party, which has 93 members in the 117-member Vidhan Sabha, was looking to field a prominent Punjabi candidate for the seat.
Initially, there was rumor that one of the party’s top leaders would go to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. However, the decision to field a Punjabi was taken to avoid any perception that Delhi leadership is dominating in Punjab.
Given that AAP holds a strong majority with 93 Vidhan Sabha seats and the winning candidate needs just 60 votes, Gupta’s victory is almost certain if an election is held. However, indications suggest the state may follow its long-standing practice of sending Rajya Sabha MPs unopposed.
It is pertinent to mention that the seat fell vacant after Sanjeev Arora resigned. He had decided to contest the Ludhiana West by-elections earlier this year and was later appointed a minister in the Bhagwant Mann Cabinet.
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