Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Oct 31: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, renominating sitting legislators across the constituencies announced. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will contest from Dhuri, while jailed MLA Sanjeev Arora has been renominated from Ludhiana West.
The early announcement, nearly four months ahead of the polls, reflects the ruling party's decision to give its candidates sufficient time to strengthen their presence in their respective constituencies. All 40 candidates in the first list are sitting MLAs, indicating that the party is prioritising continuity and the performance of its existing legislators.
Among the prominent candidates are Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur and Ajitpal Singh Kohli from Patiala.
AAP has announced candidates for all five Assembly constituencies in Ludhiana. Daljit Singh Grewal (Bhola) will contest 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 candidates include Amandeep Kaur Arora from Moga, Jagdeep Kamboj (Goldy) from Jalalabad, Narinderpal Singh Sawna from Fazilka, Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Muktsar, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura and Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo.
In Hoshiarpur district, the party has fielded Brahm Shankar Jimpa from Hoshiarpur, Ishank Kumar Chabbewal from Chabbewal, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar and Karambeer Singh Ghuman from Dasuya. Real estate businessman Kulwant Singh has been renominated from S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali).
Mann said the candidates were selected after considering public surveys and feedback on the performance of sitting MLAs. The exercise was aimed at assessing public sentiment and the electoral prospects of the legislators.
The first list covers 40 of Punjab's 117 Assembly constituencies, accounting for nearly 34 per cent of the seats. The party is expected to announce its second list next week.
A senior AAP leader said the early announcement was intended to put rival parties on the back foot while giving nominees adequate time to strengthen their grassroots networks. It would also allow the ruling party to assess constituency-level reactions and address local dissatisfaction before the campaign gathers momentum, the leader said.
AAP had also taken an early lead in announcing candidates ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, when it made its first electoral foray in the state.
With 77 constituencies yet to be covered, attention will now turn to the party's next list and whether it continues to rely on sitting legislators or introduces new faces.
The 40 candidates announced in the first list are Amansher Singh (Shery Kalsi) from Batala, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South, Harmeet Singh Sandhu from Tarn Taran, Sarvan Singh Dhun from Khem Karan, Inderjit Kaur Mann from Nakodar, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur, Karambeer Singh Ghuman from Dasuya, Jasvir Singh Raja Gill from Urmar, Brahm Shankar Sharma Jimpa from Hoshiarpur, Ishank Kumar Chabbewal from Chabbewal, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar, Santosh Kataria from Balachaur, Dinesh Chadha from Rupnagar, Kulwant Singh from S.A.S. Nagar, Lakhbir Singh Rai from Fatehgarh Sahib, Jagtar Singh Diyalpura from Samrala, Daljit Singh Grewal (Bhola) from Ludhiana East, Kulwant Singh Sidhu from Atam Nagar, Ashok Parashar (Pappi) from Ludhiana Central, Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West, Chaudhary Madan Lal Bagga from Ludhiana North, Manwinder Singh Giaspura from Payal, Manjit Singh Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala, Amritpal Singh Sukhanand from Bhagha Purana, Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora from Moga, Devinder Jeet Singh Laddi Dhos from Dharamkot, Jagdeep Kamboj (Goldy) from Jalalabad, Narinderpal Singh Sawna from Fazilka, Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar from Muktsar, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Amolak Singh from Jaitu, Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo, Gurpreet Singh Banawali from Sardulgarh, Labh Singh Ugoke from Bhadaur, Kulwant Singh Pandori from Mehal Kalan, Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra from Amargarh, Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri and Ajitpal Singh Kohli from Patiala.