Backdoor Entry? Kejriwal’s Alleged Deal with Sanjeev Arora Stirs Political Storm

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated its Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjeev Arora, for the Ludhiana West by-election, sparking strong speculation that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal might enter Rajya Sabha through Punjab. This move has triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders slamming AAP for alleged backdoor politics.

This assembly seat fell vacant after the passing of MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi on January 10. The Congress has been quick to attack AAP, with senior leader Partap Singh Bajwa stating, “This is a calculated move. Initially, Kejriwal considered entering Punjab through this seat, but realizing the strong opposition from Punjabis against an outsider, he stepped back. The Sanjeev Arora strategy could very well be true.”

Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira also lashed out, alleging a political deal between Kejriwal and Sanjeev Arora. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:

"I strongly condemn the backdoor entry of @ArvindKejriwal into Rajya Sabha from Punjab by striking a deal with MP Sanjeev Arora, promising him a cabinet berth if elected from Ludhiana West by-election! This conspiracy clearly shows that @ArvindKejriwal cannot stay a day without power as he has been rejected by the people of Delhi! I also question @BhagwantMann on how he will defend this anti-Punjab action, as he has often accused @INCPunjab MLAs of not knowing Punjabi! Can @ArvindKejriwal sign his own name in Punjabi?”

With AAP’s latest political move, all eyes are now on Ludhiana West, where this election could reshape Punjab’s political landscape and potentially bring Kejriwal into national politics via Rajya Sabha.