LUDHIANA, June 28 — Sanjeev Arora, newly elected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Ludhiana West, was sworn in as Member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Saturday in a brief ceremony presided over by Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan.
Arora, a former Rajya Sabha MP, took the oath in the presence of senior AAP leaders including state president Aman Arora, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, and Punjab party affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia. His family and close friends, including industrialist Kamal Oswal, were also present. The ceremony, which lasted only about five minutes, marked Arora’s formal entry into the state Assembly.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Arora said, “I am committed to working for the welfare of the people of Ludhiana West and Punjab at large. For me, public service is a step-by-step journey, and I will take each step with sincerity.”
Notably, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was earlier scheduled to attend the ceremony, was absent. His non-appearance raised eyebrows, particularly as the party had publicly declared during the campaign — including an announcement by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal — that Arora would be inducted into the Cabinet immediately upon winning the seat.
Reinforcing this, CM Mann himself had stated on Tuesday that Arora would join the Council of Ministers by Friday or Saturday. However, the swearing-in has now been delayed due to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s ongoing visit to Udaipur. The Governor is expected to return only after July 2, postponing any Cabinet expansion until then.
Party insiders suggest the delay is purely procedural, and Arora remains a frontrunner for a ministerial berth once the Governor returns.
Arora’s entry into the Assembly comes at a crucial time for AAP in Punjab, as the party seeks to strengthen its governance narrative following recent political and administrative challenges.
