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Billionaire industrialist Rajinder Gupta is among the richest men of Punjab. With a net worth of approximately $1.2 billion Gupta, worth Rs 10,000 crore, is a first-generation entrepreneur who founded Trident Limited, the flagship company of Trident Group.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has named Gupta as its Rajya Sabha candidate for the upcoming by-election to be held on October 24. Gupta’s declared assets are more than the combined wealth of stalwarts of Punjab politics like Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Majithia and Captain Amarinder Singh.
SAD leader Bikram Majithia had declared his total assets. 11 crores in 2017 but he is accused of acquiring illegal assets of approx. According to the agencies investigating the cases against the former MLA, Rs 700 crore. What was the total wealth of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh? 59 crores in 2022 while the declared assets of former Deputy CM and Lok Sabha MP Sukhbir Singh Badal is close to 200 crores
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has fielded prominent industrialist Rajinder Gupta for the vacant seat of the Upper House. The by-election is being held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP’s Sanjeev Arora, who stepped down from the Upper House after being elected to the state assembly.
Arora, whose tenure was to end on April 9, 2028, currently serves as a minister in the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
“The Political Affairs Committee announces the nomination of Rajinder Gupta as a candidate for election to the Rajya Sabha (Rajya Sabha) by the elected members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly,” the party said in a statement.
Who is Rajinder Gupta?
66-year-old Rajinder Gupta is among the richest men of Punjab. His net worth in 2025 (Forbes list) is $1.2 billion i.e. approximately 10,000 crores.
Gupta was born in Bathinda to cotton merchant Nohar Chand.
Coming from humble beginnings, Rajinder Gupta made his mark in politics by holding key government positions in several administrations.
Founder of Trident Limited, the flagship company of the Trident Group, Gupta is a first generation entrepreneur. He was awarded the Padma Shri by then President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2007 for his distinguished services in the field of trade and industry.
In 2022, Gupta stepped down as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Trident Group citing health reasons, and is currently the Honorary Chairman of the group.
Ludhiana based Trident Group
Ludhiana-based Trident Group is a diversified textile, paper and chemicals conglomerate with manufacturing facilities in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.
Gupta has also previously held positions in the previous Congress and Akali-BJP governments. Gupta served as the Deputy Chairman of the Punjab State Planning Board between 2012 and 2022 under both the Congress (2012–2017) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)–BJP (2017–2022) governments.
After AAP came to power in Punjab in 2022, Gupta was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Punjab State Economic Policy and Planning Board. This August, he also took over as president of Sri Kali Devi Advisory Committee, a popular religious body.
Gupta has recently resigned from these posts.
Gupta has previously served as Chairman of the Advisory Council of FICCI for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. He has also worked in sports administration, serving as the President of the Punjab Cricket Association.
Expecting easy entry into RS
AAP has an overwhelming majority in the 117-member state assembly with 93 members. With this majority, AAP will not face any hindrance in sending Gupta to Rajya Sabha.
In June, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal put an end to speculations that he would enter the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. After Arora won the Ludhiana West assembly by-election, Kejriwal decided not to contest.
After the announcement of Arora’s name for Ludhiana West by-election, the opposition had claimed that Kejriwal would go to Rajya Sabha in his place.
AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat and Arora defeated his nearest rival Bharat Bhushan Ashu of Congress by 10,637 votes.
The by-election had become necessary due to the death of sitting AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.
Rajya Sabha elections on 24 October
According to the notification for the by-election, nominations will start from October 6 and the last date for filing nominations will be October 13. Scrutiny of nominations will be held on October 14, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 16.
The Political Affairs Committee announced the nomination of Rajinder Gupta as a candidate for election to the Rajya Sabha (Rajya Sabha) by the elected members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Voting will take place on October 24 and counting of votes will also take place on the same day.
AAP had earlier sent industrialists such as Sushil Gupta (from Haryana) to the Rajya Sabha. At present, the AAP has six Rajya Sabha members from Punjab. They are Balbir Singh Seechewal, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal and Vikramjit Singh Sahney.
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