Chandigarh, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has appointed two Halqa Incharges in Punjab, handing responsibility for the Samana Assembly constituency to former Punjab minister Surjit Singh Rakhra and Shahkot to Balvir Singh Pala Jalalpur.
The appointments assume political significance ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, as Halqa Incharges generally play a key organisational role in their respective constituencies and are often viewed as potential candidates. AAP itself continues to use the designation of MLA/Halqa Incharge for constituency-level organisational responsibilities.
Rakhra, a former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister, has been appointed Halqa Incharge for Samana, a constituency currently represented by AAP MLA and former minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra.
Rakhra had served as a Cabinet Minister in the Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD government. He also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Patiala but lost to then Congress candidate Preneet Kaur.
He later parted ways with SAD and joined hands with rebel Akali leaders associated with Akali Dal Punar Surji before subsequently joining the Aam Aadmi Party.
Rakhra is also the brother of prominent US-based NRIs Darshan Singh Dhaliwal and Charanjit Singh Dhaliwal.
His appointment as Halqa Incharge for Samana is particularly significant because the constituency already has a sitting AAP MLA in Chetan Singh Jauramajra.
Jauramajra was inducted into the Bhagwant Mann Cabinet after AAP came to power in Punjab but was dropped from the Council of Ministers during the Cabinet reshuffle effected on September 23, 2024.
Rakhra being given organisational charge of the same constituency is therefore likely to trigger speculation over AAP’s choice of candidate from Samana in the 2027 Assembly election. However, the appointment as Halqa Incharge does not by itself constitute a formal announcement of the party’s candidate.
Meanwhile, Balvir Singh Pala Jalalpur has been appointed AAP Halqa Incharge for the Shahkot Assembly constituency in Doaba.
Unlike Samana, Shahkot is currently held by the Congress. Gurdev Singh Laadi Sherowalia won the seat in the 2022 Punjab Assembly election.
In that contest, AAP candidate Rattan Singh Kakar Kalan finished third, while Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Bachittar Singh Kohar secured the second position.
The appointment of the two Halqa Incharges indicates that AAP has begun positioning its constituency-level leadership as political activity gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
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