AAP Names First 40 Candidates for 2027 Punjab Elections

The Aam Aadmi Party released its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections on October 31, 2026. The selections were finalized during a Political Affairs Committee meeting in New Delhi chaired by national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and attended by Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia. The list consists entirely of sitting legislators, including four women, and features Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking re-election from the Dhuri seat and Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan contesting from Kotkapura.

Among the candidates is Sanjeev Arora, a minister currently jailed on money laundering charges, who will run for the Ludhiana West seat. The party announced these names several months ahead of the expected February or March 2027 polls to allow candidates more time to engage with voters. Bhagwant Mann stated that the early announcement reflects the party's confidence and allows them to seek a mandate based on government performance in health, education, and rural development.

Bharatiya Janata Party Punjab President Kewal Singh Dhillon criticized the selections, characterizing the candidates as people responsible for the destruction of Punjab. Dhillon alleged that many of the nominees are involved in corruption and fraud, and claimed the AAP government has failed to curb the state's drug menace or maintain law and order.