With the Punjab Assembly elections approaching in early 2027, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has initiated its electoral preparations by announcing its first list of 40 candidates. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will seek re-election from Dhuri, while Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has been nominated from Kotkapura. The list has also drawn attention for including jailed minister Sanjeev Arora as the party's candidate from Ludhiana West, despite his arrest in an alleged money-laundering case. The announcement signals the beginning of AAP's campaign to retain power in Punjab, where it currently commands 95 seats in the 117-member Assembly.
The AAP has announced its first list of 40 candidates for the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for early 2027, setting the stage for what is expected to be a closely watched political contest in the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann features prominently in the list and will contest again from Dhuri, the constituency he represented before becoming the state's chief minister.
The candidate selection followed a high-level meeting held on Friday at the Delhi residence of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The meeting was attended by Mann, Kejriwal, AAP's Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia and other senior party leaders. The deliberations underline the importance the party is attaching to candidate selection as it prepares to defend its government against opposition challenges.
The inclusion of prominent leaders suggests that AAP intends to maintain continuity in key constituencies while building its campaign around its existing leadership. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, has been nominated from Kotkapura, another significant constituency in the state's political landscape.
For AAP, which secured a sweeping victory in the 2022 Assembly elections, the next contest will be an important test of its political standing. The party currently has 95 MLAs in the 117-member House, giving it a substantial legislative majority. However, translating its Assembly strength into another electoral victory will depend on public perceptions of its governance, its campaign strategy and the opposition's ability to consolidate support.
Sanjeev Arora's Candidature Attracts Attention
One of the most notable aspects of the first list is the nomination of Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West. Arora, a minister in the Punjab government, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2026 in connection with an alleged money-laundering case and is currently lodged in Bhondsi jail in Gurugram.
A Crucial Electoral Test Ahead
The Punjab Assembly elections are expected to take place around February or March 2027, although the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the official schedule. The current Assembly's five-year term ends on March 16, 2027.
AAP's early announcement gives its candidates time to establish contact with voters, organise constituency-level campaigns and communicate the government's record. Releasing names ahead of the formal election schedule can also help the party identify local challenges and address organisational concerns before campaigning intensifies.
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