His office staff and family members are keeping track of the development projects in his constituency. (File Photo)Even though appointments have been made for several other constituencies across Punjab ahead of the 2027 polls, the AAP has not appointed any new faces as the halka in-charge for Ludhiana West — the constituency of jailed cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora.His office staff and family members are keeping track of the development projects in his constituency.Jatinder Khangura, AAP district president for Ludhiana (urban), told The Indian Express that “the party is backing Arora through thick and thin” “as he has done no wrong and has been arrested due to vendetta politics”. “He and his family and staff are keeping a tab on the development works, and councillors are also coordinating. We are not looking for any new face for Ludhiana West.”The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Arora in May this year in an alleged multi-crore money laundering case. He is lodged in Bhondsi jail, Gurugram.The AAP has termed Arora’s arrest as a “vendetta” by the BJP-led Centre. At the time of his arrest, Arora held the key portfolios of power and industries in the Punjab cabinet. He continues to be a cabinet minister but without any portfolios.The AAP Punjab general secretary and media in-charge, Baltej Pannu, said: “We are not looking to replace Arora with any other face from Ludhiana West. It will be entirely his decision if he contests or if someone from his family contests; we will back the Arora family’s candidature from Ludhiana West. We are hopeful he will be bailed out by then.”Arora’s son Kavya Arora, a businessman, and daughter Ketki Arora have not expressed any interest in entering politics and contesting from his constituency, the party told The Indian Express. Kavya, who handles the family business, said he and his sister are not inclined towards politics as of now. “Our office staff are handling all the work in my father’s constituency… My mother and sister-in-law keep meeting people… He can contest even from custody if the party says so…”Story continues below this adPunjab AAP state chief Aman Arora said the party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann will take the final decision.Arora was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the AAP from Punjab in 2022, but he resigned in 2025 to contest the bypoll from Ludhiana West after AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi passed away. Arora defeated Congress’s Bharat Bhushan Ashu.Arora is the richest politician in Punjab, cutting across party lines, with individual assets worth Rs 278 crore, according to the election affidavit filed during the Ludhiana West bypoll, 2025. Including his wife Sandhya Arora’s assets, the couple’s combined wealth stands at Rs 302.11 crore.Ludhiana West is an upscale urban constituency with a mix of Hindu and Sikh voters, mostly involved in businesses and trading.Story continues below this adAshu, a two-time former Congress MLA from here, was the Food and Civil Supplies Minister in the 2017 Congress government. Ashu too spent over a year in jail after the AAP came to power in 2022, and he was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for an alleged multi-crore foodgrain tenders scam. Ashu had termed the case against him as a vendetta by the AAP.An AAP councillor said: “If Arora contests from jail, then it will be a direct contest between two ministers, who both went to jail. Both will seek sympathy votes, terming their arrests as vendetta. A lot will also depend on the BJP candidate as the saffron party has some support base in Ludhiana city.”Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Punjab assembly elections