Kejriwal, Satyendar, or Sisodia? AAP divided over Rajya Sabha pick
What's the story
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal has clarified that he is not planning to contest for a Rajya Sabha seat. The clarification comes after Sanjeev Arora, the party's sitting Upper House member from Punjab, won the Ludhiana West assembly bypoll. The victory has left his Rajya Sabha seat vacant. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Kejriwal said, "Kejriwal nahin ja raha (Kejriwal is not going), though you (the media) have sent me there several times already."
Election wins
'Semi-final to 2027'
In the recent assembly bypolls in four states, the AAP won two out of five seats—Ludhiana West in Punjab and Visavadar in Gujarat. Kejriwal called these wins a "semi-final to 2027," referring to upcoming assembly polls in Punjab and Gujarat. He said the party's political affairs committee (PAC) will decide who will replace Arora in the Rajya Sabha.
Candidacy rumors
Speculations about Kejriwal's Rajya Sabha candidacy
There have been speculations about Kejriwal's possible Rajya Sabha candidacy after Arora's victory. However, these rumors have been dismissed by both Kejriwal and AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar. Kakkar had earlier said, "Arvind Kejriwal is not going to Rajya Sabha... He is the national convenor of AAP." The PAC meeting to decide on Arora's replacement is expected to take place within a week.
Parliamentary seats
AAP has 11 Rajya Sabha members
The AAP currently has 11 Rajya Sabha members, including Arora. It also has one Lok Sabha member. The party is still trying to recover from its defeat in the recent Delhi assembly polls, where it won only 22 out of 70 seats. Senior party leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are among those whose names are being considered for the Rajya Sabha seat.