Chandigarh, November 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced 31 more candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, taking the total number of declared nominees to 71 and signalling a significant reshuffle as the ruling party prepares for the electoral contest.
The second list, released on Thursday, focuses heavily on constituencies where AAP suffered defeats in the 2022 Assembly elections. Of the 31 seats covered, 21 were lost by the party in the previous polls, indicating an effort to regain ground across Punjab.
The most notable feature of the list is the decision to deny tickets to eight sitting MLAs. Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian has been replaced in Lambi by his nephew, Randhir Singh Dhira. Other prominent legislators dropped include former ministers Laljit Singh Bhullar and Anmol Gagan Mann.
Only two sitting MLAs from the constituencies covered in the list have been renominated: Saravjit Kaur Manuke from Jagraon and Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir from Balluana.
The party has also brought two sitting MPs into the Assembly contest. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer will contest from Barnala, a constituency he previously represented as an MLA, while Hoshiarpur MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal has been fielded from Phagwara.
Another prominent nomination is that of wrestler Jaskanwar Singh Gill, popularly known as Jassa Patti, from Patti. Known for his achievements in traditional wrestling competitions and the title of Rustam-e-Hind, he replaces sitting MLA and former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who is currently in jail and had announced that he would not contest.
The list also includes women candidates such as Sonia Mann from Raja Sansi and Vaninder Kaur Loomba from Shutrana, with nominees spread across the Majha, Doaba and Malwa regions.
With candidates for 71 of Punjab’s 117 Assembly constituencies now announced, AAP has 46 seats left to fill. The latest reshuffle suggests that the party is weighing organisational feedback, local popularity and electoral prospects while deciding whether to retain or replace its sitting legislators.
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