AAP Announces First List of 40 Sitting MLAs for 2027 Punjab Assembly Election

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday unveiled its first list of candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, naming 40 sitting members of the legislative assembly. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will again run from Dhuri, and jailed MLA Sanjeev Arora has been renominated for Ludhiana West.

The party said the early announcement, made about four months before voting, is intended to give candidates a head start in their constituencies. All nominees in this list are current MLAs, reflecting AAP's emphasis on continuity.

Other highlighted candidates include Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar (Amritsar South), Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (Ajnala), Balkar Singh (Kartarpur) and Ajitpal Singh Kohli (Patiala). In Ludhiana, the party fielded Daljit Singh Grewal (Ludhiana East), Kulwant Singh Sidhu (Atam Nagar), Ashok Parashar (Ludhiana Central), Sanjeev Arora (Ludhiana West) and Madan Lal Bagga (Ludhiana North).

Additional nominees are Amandeep Kaur Arora (Moga), Jagdeep Kamboj (Jalalabad), Narinderpal Singh (Fazilka), Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar (Muktsar), Kultar Singh Sandhwan (Kotkapura) and Baljinder Kaur (Talwandi Sabo). In Hoshiarpur district, the party selected Brahm Shankar Jimpa (Hoshiarpur), Ishank Kumar Chabbewal (Chabbewal), Jai Krishan Singh Rouri (Garhshankar) and Karambeer Singh Ghuman (Dasuya). Real-estate businessman Kulwant Singh received the ticket for Mohali.

"The candidates were chosen after reviewing people's surveys and feedback on the performance of sitting MLAs," Chief Minister Mann said, adding that the process was meant to gauge public sentiment and assess electoral prospects.

The list covers roughly 34% of the 117 Assembly seats. A senior AAP leader noted that announcing candidates early could put rival parties at a disadvantage and allow nominees time to strengthen grassroots networks. The party plans to release a second list of candidates next week, completing the slate for the remaining 77 constituencies.