Overview

• Party sources say Trident Group chairman emeritus Rajinder Gupta is likely to be AAP’s nominee for the lone Punjab Rajya Sabha seat vacated for an October 24 bypoll.
• Gupta has resigned as vice-chairman of the Punjab Planning Board and as chair of the Shri Kali Mata temple advisory committee, moves viewed as clearing the way for a nomination.
• The vacancy arose after Sanjeev Arora resigned from the Upper House on July 1 following his Ludhiana (West) bypoll win and induction as Industries and NRI Affairs Minister.
• AAP holds 93 of 117 Assembly seats and the winning candidate needs about 60 votes, making an AAP nominee strongly favored, with reports noting Punjab often elects Rajya Sabha members unopposed.
• Party insiders indicate a preference for a Punjab-based industrialist to counter Delhi-centric perceptions, with earlier speculation around Kamal Oswal fading after reports he declined and Arvind Kejriwal ruled himself out.