AAP likely to field industrialist Rajinder Gupta for RS bypoll from Punjab
Chandigarh (PTI): The ruling Aam Aadmi Party is likely to field industrialist Rajinder Gupta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Punjab on October 24.
The bypoll is being held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP’s Sanjeev Arora, who stepped down from the Upper House following his election to the state assembly.
Arora, whose term was to end on April 9, 2028, is presently serving as a minister in the Punjab Cabinet led by Bhagwant Mann.
The chairman emeritus of the Trident Group, Gupta recently resigned as the vice-chairman of the State Economic Policy and Planning Board and as chairperson of the Kali Devi temple advisory committee, fuelling speculation that the AAP could field him for the bypoll.
AAP enjoys an overwhelming majority in the 117-member state Assembly.
In June, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal put to rest speculation that he would enter the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.
Kejriwal’s decision to not throw his hat into the ring came after Arora won the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll.
After Arora's name was announced for the Ludhiana West bypoll, the opposition had claimed that Kejriwal would enter the Rajya Sabha in his place.
AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat with Arora defeating his nearest rival, Bharat Bhushan Ashu of the Congress, by 10,637 votes.
The bypoll was necessitated by the passing of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.
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Protesters clash with police during torch rally in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): People protesting the death of two children in a recent bomb blast in Manipur clashed with security forces during a torch rally in the state capital Imphal, police said.
Two children died in a bomb blast at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur on April 7. The Imphal Valley districts have been witnessing daily protests over the incident.
A seven-km-long torch rally was brought out from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district on Monday night, but the participants turned violent and clashed with the security forces, a police officer said.
Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells in Keishamthong area after hundreds of protesters defying curfew demanded they be allowed to proceed for another 200 metres towards Keisampat area, which is close to the Lok Bhavan and the BJP state office, he said.
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Orders prohibiting the movement of any individuals outside their respective homes are in force in all the five valley districts from 5 pm to 5 am.
"Protesters pelted the security forces with stones and iron pellets from catapults, endangering the lives of the heavily outnumbered security forces," the officer said.
Manipur Police have, meanwhile, arrested 19 people for violating curfew and committing offences, including blocking roads and damaging public property, in the Greater Imphal area. They were nabbed from different parts of Imphal West district on Sunday, a police statement said.
In the Ukhrul district headquarters, a candlelight vigil was held on Monday night to honour the two Tangkhul Naga civilians who were killed in an ambush in TM Kasom area in the district on April 18.
Various civil society organisations from both the valley and hill areas strongly condemned the brutal killings, alleging that the victims were shot by Kuki militants using sniper rifles.
