AAP Drops Minister, MLAs From 2nd Punjab List, Two MPs Get Ticket

Chandigarh: Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party has finalised its second list of 31 candidates for the 2027 elections, taking the total number of constituencies where it has announced nominees to 71. The party had announced its first list of 40 candidates on October 31.Unlike the first list, which comprised entirely of sitting MLAs, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the second list features several new faces, party volunteers and local leaders. It also signals a significant reshuffle, with multiple sitting MLAs being replaced.Three AAP MLAs quit the party shortly after the announcement of the first list, leaving Samana, Sanaur and Amritsar North among the constituencies requiring a fresh look.Minister Gurmeet Khuddian's Ticket CancelledOne of the biggest surprises is the constituency of Lambi, where AAP has fielded Randhir Singh Dhira Khuddian instead of sitting MLA and Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.Gurmeet Singh Khuddian had defeated former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2022, delivering a major electoral upset. His ticket cancellation is one of the most significant decisions in the second list.MPs Named For Assembly PollsTwo sitting MPs will contest the Assembly polls. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer returns to Barnala, his old seat, which the Congress won in the 2024 bypoll. Hoshiarpur MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal will contest Phagwara.Sitting MLAs ReplacedAmong the prominent changes, sitting MLA Dr Charanjit Singh has been replaced by Jasvir Singh Garhi in Chamkaur Sahib. Garhi, who resigned as chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, will take on Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi.In Bathinda Rural, Amit Rattan Kotfatta has been replaced by Gopal Singh, while Jaskanwar Singh Gill, popularly known as Jassa Patti, gets the ticket from Patti in place of sitting MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar.Parminder Singh Goldy has been fielded from Kharar in place of Anmol Gagan Maan, who resigned as MLA in July 2025. Nitin Kohli replaces Raman Arora in Jalandhar Central. In Amritsar North, AAP has fielded Karamjit Singh Rintu following former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh's exit from the party.Experienced Faces RetainedRaman Bahl and Shamsher Singh have been retained from Gurdaspur and Dina Nagar respectively. Sitting MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer returns to Barnala, while Hoshiarpur MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal has been fielded from Phagwara and Pawan Kumar Tinu from Adampur.Key Leaders Not FieldedAAP has not given a second chance to most of the key leaders who had lost in 2022. Rohit Syal replaces Vibhuti Sharma in Pathankot, Guriqbal Singh Mahal replaces Jagroop Singh Sekhwan in Qadian, and Joban Randhawa replaces Balbir Singh Pannu in Fatehgarh Churian.Only three candidates who lost in 2022 have got another chance: Raman Bahl (Gurdaspur), Shamsher Singh (Dina Nagar) and Dr KNS Kang (Dakha).New FacesAmong new faces are actress Sonia Mann, who got the Raja Sansi ticket, Davinder Pal Singh Ranga has been fielded from Kapurthala and Robby Kang from Nawanshahr.Most of the new faces are constituency in-charges. Jalandhar Mayor Vaneet Dhir got Jalandhar North, industrialist Nitin Kohli got Jalandhar Central and party general secretary Deepak Bali got Jalandhar Cantonment. Amritsar Improvement Trust chairman Karamjit Singh Rintu was given ticket from Amritsar North, which fell vacant after Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resigned and joined the BJP. Retired PCS officer Gopal Singh got Bathinda Rural.In Patti, former wrestler Jaskanwar Singh Gill, known as Jassa Patti, has replaced jailed former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. Bhullar announced on Tuesday that he would not contest.Several imports from rival parties have also made it to the list. They include former Akali MLAs Pawan Kumar Tinu (Adampur) and Vaninder Kaur Loomba (Shutrana), ex-Akali leader Talbir Singh Gill (Majitha), former BSP state chief Jasvir Singh Garhi (Chamkaur Sahib) and ex-BJP leader Swaran Singh Salaria (Sujanpur).