AAP releases second list of 31 candidates for 2027 Punjab polls, total reaches 71

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 nominees announced so far to 71.

The ruling party had announced its first list of 40 candidates last month as it began preparations for the Assembly elections scheduled for next year.

The second list, issued by AAP national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta, included candidates from several politically significant constituencies across the state.

According to the list, Rohit Syal will contest from Pathankot, while Raman Bahl has been fielded from Gurdaspur. Karamjit Singh Rintu will contest from Amritsar North, and Nitin Kohli has been nominated from Jalandhar Central.

The party has named Vaneet Dhir as its candidate from Jalandhar North and Deepak Bali from Jalandhar Cantonment.

Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has been fielded from Barnala, while Gopal Singh will contest from Bathinda Rural.

Other candidates announced include advocate Harsimran Singh from Bholath, Davinder Pal Singh Ranga from Kapurthala, Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal from Phagwara, Pawan Kumar Tinu from Adampur and Balvir Singh Pala Jalalpur from Shahkot.

The announcement followed discussions within the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which reviewed feedback gathered through constituency-level surveys before finalising the candidates.

In an earlier statement, AAP said the committee had deliberated extensively on the findings of the surveys and the distribution of tickets for the upcoming elections.

The release of the second list marks another step in AAP's preparations to retain power in Punjab, where the party secured a sweeping victory in the 2022 Assembly elections.

With 71 candidates announced, the party has now declared nominees for more than half of Punjab's 117 Assembly constituencies.

The remaining candidates are expected to be announced in subsequent lists as the party continues its selection process ahead of the 2027 polls.