Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, placing its faith entirely in sitting legislators. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann will once again contest from Dhuri, while jailed MLA Sanjeev Arora has been renominated from Ludhiana West.
The announcement, made nearly four months ahead of the polls, signals the ruling party’s decision to prioritise continuity and give its candidates an early start in their respective constituencies. All 40 candidates named in this initial phase are sitting MLAs, covering nearly 34% of the state’s 117 assembly seats.
The party is expected to release its second list next week.
The AAP similarly took an early lead in declaring candidates ahead of the 2017 assembly elections, its debut electoral contest in Punjab.
Mann said that candidate selections were finalised following public surveys and performance evaluations of sitting MLAs to assess local electoral prospects.
Besides Mann, prominent names on the list include real estate baron Kulwant Singh, who has once again secured the ticket from Mohali, along with Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur, and Ajitpal Singh Kohli from Patiala.
In the industrial hub of Ludhiana, the AAP announced candidates across all five assembly constituencies: Daljit Singh Grewal (Bhola) from Ludhiana East, Kulwant Singh Sidhu from Atam Nagar, Ashok Parashar (Pappi) from Ludhiana Central, Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West, and Madan Lal Bagga from Ludhiana North.
Other key candidates declared include Amandeep Kaur Arora from Moga, Jagdeep Kamboj (Goldy) from Jalalabad, Narinderpal Singh from Fazilka, Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Muktsar, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, and Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo.
In Hoshiarpur district, the party fielded Brahm Shankar Jimpa from Hoshiarpur, Ishank Kumar Chabbewal from Chabbewal, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar, and Karambeer Singh Ghuman from Dasuya.
A senior AAP leader noted that rolling out candidates early aims to pressure rival parties, grant nominees ample time to build grassroots momentum, and allow the leadership to address any localised dissatisfaction before campaigns peak. With 77 constituencies remaining, focus turns to the AAP’s upcoming list to see whether the party maintains its strategy of backing incumbents or introduces new faces.
Hillary Victor is a Special Correspondent, with over two decades of experience in impactful, ethical, and public-interest journalism. He works in the Punjab Bureau, covering housing and urban development, transport and civil aviation, environment, science and technology, forests and wildlife, with a strong focus on governance, public policy, infrastructure, and sustainable development. His reporting reflects a deep understanding of Punjab's socio-political landscape and is driven by accuracy, accountability, and a commitment to serving the public interest. Over the course of his career, he has built a reputation for producing high-impact, exclusive stories that have shaped public discourse and prompted policy and administrative action. He has been honoured with six 'Best Journalist Awards' by the Hindustan Times management for his path-breaking reportage. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to journalism, he was also conferred the 'Best Journalist Award' by the Government of Punjab during the 2010 Republic Day celebrations.Read More