Chandigarh, Nov 12 — The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday released its second list of 31 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, taking the total number of candidates announced so far to 71 across the state's 117 constituencies.
The list, issued by the party’s national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta, includes several prominent political figures, two sitting MPs and four women candidates.
The announcement also signals changes in the party's existing line-up, with eight sitting MLAs reportedly being replaced.
Among the prominent candidates are Member of Parliament (MP) Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who has been fielded from Barnala, and another MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who will contest from Phagwara.
Other notable names include Raman Bahl from Gurdaspur, Karamjit Singh Rintu from Amritsar North, Nitin Kohli from Jalandhar Central, Pawan Kumar Tinu from Adampur and Jasvir Singh Garhi from Chamkaur Sahib.
The second list gives considerable attention to the Doaba region, with candidates announced for Kapurthala, Phagwara, Phillaur, Shahkot, Jalandhar (Central), Jalandhar (North), Jalandhar Cantonment, Adampur, Mukerian and Nawanshahr.
In the Malwa region, the party has announced candidates for Chamkaur Sahib, Kharar, Dakha, Jagraon, Abohar, Balluana, Lambi, Bathinda Rural, Barnala and Shutrana.
The list also covers several constituencies in the Majha region, including Gurdaspur, Qadian, Fatehgarh Churian, Raja Sansi, Majitha and Amritsar (North).
One of the significant aspects of the second list is the replacement of eight sitting MLAs. In Lambi, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian has been replaced by his nephew, Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian.
The list also features former Shiromani Akali Dal legislator Vaninder Kaur Loomba from Shutrana, while Saravjit Kaur Manuke has been fielded from Jagraon. The announcement comes against the backdrop of recent political developments within AAP.
Three party legislators -- Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh -- have left the party and joined the BJP. AAP had announced its first list of 40 candidates on October 31, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri.
With the second list of 31 candidates, the party has now declared nominees for 71 constituencies.
In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, AAP secured a sweeping victory, winning 92 of the state's 117 seats and forming the government under Bhagwant Mann.