New Delhi: Punjab is one of the five states set to hold assembly elections in early 2027 (February–March). The upcoming Punjab assembly elections are expected to be highly decisive. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been in power in the state for the past five years, has already begun gearing up to retain its hold on governance. The party is working to strengthen its influence, reaching from the booth level to the general public. In a significant move, the AAP has surprised everyone by releasing its first list of 40 candidates.
This list includes several prominent figures, such as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, and minister Sanjeev Arora. CM Bhagwant Mann will contest from Dhuri, a segment within his current constituency of Sangrur. Minister Sanjeev Arora, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is currently in jail,l has been fielded from the Ludhiana West constituency.
Assembly Speaker also named as a candidate.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan will seek re-election from the Kotkapura seat in Faridkot. Baljinder Kaur, a party leader in the Assembly, will contest again from the Talwandi Sabo seat in Bathinda, while former minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal will once again be the candidate for the Ajnala seat in Amritsar.
Currently, the AAP holds 94 seats in the Punjab Legislative Assembly; however, many of these incumbent MLAs face the risk of being dropped, leading to a sense of uncertainty among them. As for Kultar Singh Sandhwan, he has been named as the candidate for Kotkapura.
Kejriwal extends congratulations
Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal has congratulated all the candidates. By announcing the names well in advance of the elections, the party signalled the commencement of its electoral preparations. According to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the selection of candidates was based on public feedback and an assessment of their performance. The party has stated that discussions regarding candidates for the remaining seats will continue.
Seats in focus
This list includes several key constituencies. Narinderpal Singh Sawna will contest from Fazilka, Dinesh Chadha from Rupnagar, and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri. Sanjeev Arora has been given the ticket for Ludhiana West, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan for Kotkapura, and Ajitpal Singh Kohli for Patiala. Additionally, Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy will be in the fray from Jalalabad, and Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South.
