Chandigarh, November 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Punjab Cabinet Minister Anmol Gagan Maan on Friday broke her silence over her absence from the party’s lists of candidates for the forthcoming Punjab Assembly elections, clarifying that she had voluntarily decided not to contest and that the party had not denied her a ticket.
In a Facebook post addressed to the people of Punjab and the Punjabi media, the Kharar MLA said several statements and speculations had emerged about her decision not to contest because she had remained silent on the issue.
Maan revealed that she had personally conveyed her decision to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal during a meeting in Delhi on August 5, 2026, at 12 noon.
She further disclosed that Kejriwal had telephoned her three days ago to ascertain whether she was still firm on her decision not to contest the elections.
According to Maan, she reiterated her earlier stand during the telephone conversation.
She said Kejriwal then asked her to publicly clarify that the party had not denied her a ticket and that the decision to stay out of the electoral contest was entirely her own.
Maan acknowledged that Kejriwal was not happy with her decision.
“I know Arvind Sir was not happy with my decision. But this decision is entirely my own,” she stated in her Facebook post.
She concluded her statement by extending her best wishes to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Political Background
Anmol Gagan Maan, a Punjabi singer-turned-politician, joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2020 and emerged as one of its prominent campaigners ahead of the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.
She contested the Kharar Assembly constituency in 2022 and defeated Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Ranjit Singh Gill by a margin of more than 37,700 votes.
Following AAP’s victory, she was inducted into Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Cabinet in July 2022. During her ministerial tenure, she handled portfolios including Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Investment Promotion, Labour and Hospitality. She remained a Cabinet Minister until September 2024.
In July 2025, Maan had announced her resignation as an MLA and expressed her intention to quit politics. However, she subsequently withdrew her resignation following discussions with senior AAP leadership.
Her latest clarification comes amid discussions over the omission of her name from the candidate lists released by AAP for the forthcoming Assembly elections.
While ruling herself out of the electoral contest, Maan has maintained that her decision is personal and has extended her good wishes to the party.
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