AAP Announces 40 Candidates for Punjab Elections 2027: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been renominated from Dhuri as the party releases its first list ahead of the Assembly polls. (Images: Dynamite News)
Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, naming several prominent party leaders and ministers for key constituencies. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will once again contest from Dhuri, while Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has been nominated from Kotkapura.
The list released on Saturday by AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta, includes candidates from all three major regions of Punjab—Malwa, Majha and Doaba. The announcement marks the party's first major candidate selection ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections scheduled for 2027.
Among the prominent names, minister Sanjeev Arora has been fielded from Ludhiana West. Arora is currently in jail. Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar has been nominated from Amritsar South, while Kulwant Singh will contest from SAS Nagar.
Other notable candidates include Bram Shanker Sharma Jimpa from Hoshiarpur, Aman Sher Singh (Shery Kalsi) from Batala, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala and Harmeet Singh Sandhu from Tarn Taran. The party has also nominated Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola from Ludhiana East and Ashok Prashar Pappi from Ludhiana Central.
With its first list of 40 candidates, AAP has kick-started its preparations for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. The party will aim to retain power in the state, where electoral competition is expected to intensify as the 2027 polls approach.
The announcement also indicates the party's early focus on selecting candidates across different regions and important constituencies of Punjab. The party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is conducting a series of meetings to shortlist and finalise candidates for the upcoming polls.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, Punjab unit chief Aman Arora and PAC member and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema are among the key leaders involved in the candidate selection process.
The party is unlikely to introduce many new faces in its first two to three candidate lists. Instead, AAP is expected to give preference to leaders who have previously contested elections.
The Punjab Assembly elections are scheduled for early 2027, with voting likely to take place in February or March. The current 117-member Assembly will complete its five-year tenure on March 16, 2027.
