CHANDIGARH, November 12, 2026: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday released its second list of 31 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, taking the number of constituencies where the ruling party has announced nominees to 71.
The latest list includes two sitting Members of Parliament, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, alongside several new faces and former legislators.
AAP has also replaced several sitting MLAs, including Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, who has not been given a ticket from Lambi.
The announcement followed a meeting of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), where leaders discussed candidate selection based on internal surveys and public feedback.
Punjab has 117 Assembly constituencies, meaning AAP has now announced candidates for more than 60% of the seats ahead of next year's elections.
AAP Announces 31 Candidates After Political Affairs Committee Meeting
The second candidate list was issued under the signature of AAP national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended the Political Affairs Committee meeting in Delhi, where party leaders reviewed survey findings and discussed possible candidates.
According to AAP, the selection process considered public feedback and assessments of prospective nominees.
Mann indicated that the new list would include changes from the existing group of legislators.
The announcement follows the party's first list of 40 candidates, released on October 31.
AAP has now declared nominees for 71 constituencies, while candidates for the remaining 46 seats are yet to be announced.
Two Sitting MPs Get Tickets for Punjab Assembly Elections
One of the most significant developments in the second list is AAP's decision to field two sitting Lok Sabha MPs.
Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has been nominated from Barnala, while Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal will contest from Phagwara.
Meet Hayer represents Sangrur in the Lok Sabha and previously served as an MLA from Barnala.
His selection signals the party's decision to bring an established parliamentary leader into the Assembly election contest.
Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, the MP from Hoshiarpur, has been nominated from the Phagwara constituency.
Interestingly, his son Ishank Kumar Chabbewal was named as AAP's candidate from Chabbewal in the first list.
The decision to field two serving MPs has attracted attention because both would be required to choose between their parliamentary and Assembly memberships if elected, subject to applicable legal requirements.
Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian Dropped From Lambi
Among the notable changes is the decision not to renominate Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian from Lambi.
Instead, AAP has selected his nephew, Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian, as its candidate.
The move is significant because Gurmeet Singh Khuddian defeated former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the 2022 Assembly elections.
His victory from Lambi was considered one of AAP's major electoral achievements that year.
The decision to replace him now indicates that the party is willing to change candidates even in constituencies associated with prominent victories.
Reports also indicate that several other sitting MLAs have been denied tickets in the second round.
However, the party has not publicly released a detailed constituency-wise explanation for each replacement.
AAP Punjab Second Candidate List 2027: All 31 Names
The following candidates have been announced for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Majha Region
- Sujanpur: Swaran S Salaria
- Pathankot: Rohit Syal
- Gurdaspur: Raman Bahl
- Dina Nagar: Shamsher Singh
- Qadian: Guriqbal Singh Mahal
- Fatehgarh Churian: Harjobanjit Singh Randhawa, also known as Joban Randhawa
- Raja Sansi: Sonia Mann
- Majitha: Talbir Singh Gill
- Amritsar North: Karamjit Singh Rintu
- Patti: Jaskanwar Singh Gill, also known as Jassa Patti
Doaba Region
- Bholath: Advocate Harsimran Singh
- Kapurthala: Davinder Pal Singh Ranga
- Phagwara: Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal
- Phillaur: Harjot Kaur Lohtia
- Shahkot: Balvir Singh Pala Jalalpur
- Jalandhar Central: Nitin Kohli
- Jalandhar North: Vaneet Dhir
- Jalandhar Cantonment: Deepak Bali
- Adampur: Pawan Kumar Tinu
- Mukerian: Sarabjot Singh Saabi
- Nawan Shahr: Robby Kang
Malwa Region
- Chamkaur Sahib: Jasvir Singh Garhi
- Kharar: Parminder Singh Goldy
- Dakha: Dr KNS Kang
- Jagraon: Saravjit Kaur Manuke
- Abohar: Dr Suhani Doda
- Balluana: Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir
- Lambi: Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian
- Bathinda Rural: Gopal Singh
- Barnala: Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer
- Shutrana: Vaninder Kaur Loomba
The list covers constituencies across Punjab's three major geographical and political regions.
Four Women Candidates Included in Second List
AAP has nominated four women in its second list of 31 candidates.
They are:
- Sonia Mann from Raja Sansi.
- Harjot Kaur Lohtia from Phillaur.
- Saravjit Kaur Manuke from Jagraon.
- Vaninder Kaur Loomba from Shutrana.
Manuke is among the sitting MLAs who have been renominated.
Loomba, a former Shiromani Akali Dal legislator, will contest from Shutrana.
The inclusion of four women means they account for approximately 12.9% of the candidates in this particular list.
This percentage reflects only the second list and should not be treated as the party's overall representation of women in the 2027 elections.
The final picture will become clearer once AAP announces candidates for the remaining constituencies.
Bhagwant Mann to Contest From Dhuri in 2027
AAP's first candidate list, announced on October 31, included 40 sitting MLAs.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was renominated from Dhuri, the constituency he won in 2022.
Other prominent candidates included:
- Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura.
- Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West.
- Kulwant Singh from SAS Nagar.
- Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar from Amritsar South.
- Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala.
- Balkar Singh from Kartarpur.
- Ajitpal Singh Kohli from Patiala.
By announcing 71 candidates in two rounds, AAP has given its nominees additional time to campaign and organise constituency-level activities.
The strategy could help candidates build local networks before the formal election schedule is announced.
However, early declarations do not necessarily translate into electoral success.
The party's performance will depend on voter preferences, local issues, candidates and the campaigns of competing parties.
Why Is AAP Announcing Candidates So Early?
The ruling party appears to be prioritising early preparation ahead of the Assembly elections.
AAP's leadership has emphasised survey feedback and constituency-level assessments while selecting candidates.
Early announcements can give nominees time to meet voters, establish campaign teams and address local concerns.
The decision to replace some sitting MLAs may also reflect the party's attempt to respond to dissatisfaction in individual constituencies.
However, internal surveys have not been released publicly.
It is therefore not possible to independently assess the findings used to select or replace particular candidates.
The latest list also suggests that the party is balancing continuity with changes to its existing leadership.
While several sitting legislators have been retained, others have been replaced by new candidates or politicians with previous electoral experience.
Punjab Assembly Elections 2027: What Happened in 2022?
AAP entered government in Punjab after securing a decisive victory in the 2022 Assembly elections.
According to the Election Commission of India, the party won 92 of the state's 117 seats with approximately 42.01% of the vote.
Bhagwant Mann subsequently became Chief Minister.
The victory ended the Congress government's tenure and established AAP as the dominant party in the Assembly.
The 2027 elections will determine whether the party can secure another five-year mandate.
Its main opponents are expected to include the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal, although their final electoral arrangements and candidate selections will become clearer closer to polling.
The 2022 results provide important historical context, but they are not a prediction of the 2027 outcome.
When Will the Punjab Assembly Elections Be Held?
The Punjab Assembly elections are due in 2027.
According to the Election Commission of India's published legislative terms, the current Punjab Assembly's term ends on March 16, 2027.
The Election Commission has not yet announced the detailed polling schedule for the upcoming election.
Until the official notification is issued, specific voting dates should not be treated as confirmed.
AAP's announcement of 71 candidates shows that the ruling party has begun its election preparations well before the scheduled end of the current Assembly's term.
What Happens Next for AAP in Punjab?
With its second list released, AAP must now select candidates for 46 remaining constituencies.
The party will also need to coordinate campaign preparations across the state and manage the political implications of replacing sitting legislators.
Attention will be on whether further ministers or prominent MLAs are denied renomination in subsequent lists.
The opposition parties are also expected to intensify their candidate selection and campaign preparations.
For now, AAP has taken an early step by declaring more than half of its candidates for the 2027 elections.
The next major development will be the announcement of the remaining nominees and the Election Commission's official election schedule.
Editorial note: This report is based on AAP's candidate announcement as reproduced by ANI and other news organisations, independent reporting by The Indian Express and The Tribune, and historical election data from the Election Commission of India.
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