The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced industrialist Rajinder Gupta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Punjab, scheduled for October 24. The decision was approved by the party’s political affairs committee.

In an official statement, AAP said, "The political affairs committee announces to nominate Rajinder Gupta as a candidate for election to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) by the elected members of the legislative assembly of Punjab."

Gupta, chairman emeritus of the Trident Group, recently stepped down as vice-chairman of the State Economic Policy and Planning Board and as chairperson of the Kali Devi Temple Advisory Committee, sparking speculation that he could be the party’s nominee for the Upper House bypoll.

The bypoll is being conducted to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by AAP leader Sanjeev Arora, who resigned from the Upper House after winning a Punjab Legislative Assembly seat. Arora, whose Rajya Sabha term was due to end on April 9, 2028, currently serves as a minister in the Punjab Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

AAP enjoys a clear majority in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, giving it a strong position for the bypoll.

Earlier in June, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal ruled out speculation about his own entry into the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, following Arora’s victory in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll. The opposition had suggested that Kejriwal might replace Arora in the Upper House, but Arora comfortably retained the Ludhiana West seat, defeating Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu by 10,637 votes.

The current bypoll was also necessitated by the death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January, leaving the Rajya Sabha vacancy open.