3 min readChandigarhMay 10, 2026 12:42 PM IST
After the arrest of Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), all eyes are now on his Cabinet berth to see whether the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will ask him to step down or allow him to continue in office while fighting the case.
For now, however, the AAP appears in no mood for immediate damage control. Sources in the government said no decision on Arora’s Cabinet berth was likely in the near future and that the leadership was in a “wait-and-watch mode”.
The dilemma before the AAP is not merely administrative but also political. The party already has a precedent at the national level. When AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in the Delhi excise policy case, the party publicly stood by him, insisting that he would continue as chief minister and even clear files from jail. The AAP then projected the arrest as a political vendetta and refused to resign on these grounds.
An AAP leader, however, privately admitted that Arora’s situation is different in practical terms. Unlike Kejriwal, who was lodged in a Delhi jail while heading the Delhi government, Arora’s custody and court proceedings are likely to keep him tied up in the national capital.
“The distance matters at least administratively. It is not possible to take the files there each time,” said a senior functionary. “Punjab is not Delhi. Frequent movement between Chandigarh and Delhi while handling key departments becomes difficult,” the leader said.
Three heavyweight portfolios
Arora handles the heavyweight portfolios of industries, local bodies, and power. The industries department has been at the heart of the Punjab government’s push to project itself as investor-friendly. The local bodies department directly impacts urban governance, civic projects, and municipal administration across cities. The state will go to the municipal polls next month. The power department is also politically sensitive in the state, especially with the upcoming paddy season, when demand will peak.
“We are reluctant to make any call as of now. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will decide the rest. There is no immediate thought of removing him,” said a source privy to internal discussions.
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“The party believes the ED action is politically motivated and any immediate removal could send the wrong political signal,” the source added.
Within the AAP, Arora is considered one of the more influential ministers in the Cabinet and is seen as being close to the top leadership. His political and organisational importance has only grown over the past two years.
AAP leaders also said that their party has repeatedly attempted to politically counter ED and CBI action by portraying it as part of a larger campaign against Opposition leaders, unlike several other political parties.
“The government has maintained that the ED action is driven by vendetta politics. But it will also have to grapple with the practical question of running key departments. Let us see what happens next,” an AAP functionary said.
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ED arrested Arora during searches at his official residence, near the chief minister’s residence in Chandigarh Sector 2, on Saturday. He has been remanded for seven days.
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