Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released first list of its candidates for the upcoming state Assembly polls scheduled early next year. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is part of the list of 40 candidates for 2027 assembly polls. The chief minister will contest from the Dhuri seat again.

The party had held a high-level meeting on candidates selection at the residence AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi on Friday. The meeting was attended by Kejriwal, Mann, state in-charge Manish Sisodia and other senior leaders.

Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan will contest from Kotkapura.

Interestingly the list also has the name of jailed Minister Sanjeev Arora who will contest from Ludhiana West. Arora was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May this year in an alleged money laundering case and is currently lodged in Bhondsi jail in Gurugram.

ਆਗਾਮੀ 2027 ਦੀਆਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਲਈ ਆਮ ਆਦਮੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ 40 ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਸੂਚੀ ਜਾਰੀ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ... ਇਹ ਅਗੇਤਾ ਐਲਾਨ ਸਾਡੀ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਤਿਆਰੀ, ਪਾਰਦਰਸ਼ਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਕੰਮਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਸਾਡੇ ਅਟੁੱਟ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਕ ਹੈ... ਮੈਨੂੰ ਮੁੜ ਧੂਰੀ ਹਲਕੇ ਤੋਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਮੌਕਾ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹੈ... ਸਾਰੇ ਐਲਾਨੇ ਗਏ ਉਮੀਦਵਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਬਾਰਕਾਂ... ਆਓ, ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਜ਼ਮੀਨੀ ਪੱਧਰ 'ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜੀਏ ਅਤੇ 'ਰੰਗਲੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ' ਦੀ ਤਰੱਕੀ ਦੇ ਸਫ਼ਰ ਨੂੰ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਜਾਰੀ ਰੱਖੀਏ...

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— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) October 31, 2026

The case involves an alleged ₹100 crore to ₹157.12 crore money laundering and fake GST billing racket linked to Hampton Sky Realty Limited (where Arora was a former CMD), featuring bogus exports and shell companies. The AAP has dismissed the charges as political vendetta by the BJP-led Centre.

Chief Minister Mann said that releasing the candidate list early shows party's confidence in its work.

"Announcement is a symbol of our strong preparation, transparency, and unwavering confidence in the work we have done," he posted on X.

Kejriwal wished the party's candidate after the release of the list.

Best wishes to all candidates.

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— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 31, 2026

The elections are due in early 2027, with polling expected around February-March. The five-year term of the 117-member Punjab Assembly ends on March 16, 2027.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the polling schedule.

AAP has 95 MLAs in the 117-member Punjab assembly.

1. Batala - Amansher Singh (Shery Kalsi) 2. Ajnala - Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal 3. Amritsar South - Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar 4. Tarn Taran - Harmeet Singh Sandhu 5. Khem Karan - Sarvan Singh Dhun 6. Nakodar - Ms. Inderjit Kaur Mann 7. Kartarpur - Balkar Singh 8. Dasuya - Karambir Singh Ghuman 9. Urmar - Jasvir Singh Raja Gill 10. Hoshiarpur - Bram Shanker Sharma Jimpa 11. Chabbewal - Ishank Kumar Chabbewal 12. Garhshankar - Jai Krishan Singh Rouri 13. Balachaur - Ms. Santosh Kataria 14. Rupnagar - Dinesh Chadha 15. S.A.S. Nagar - Kulwant Singh 16. Fatehgarh Sahib - Lakhbir Singh Rai 17. Amloh - Gurinder Singh Garry Waring 18. Samrala - Jagtar Singh Diyalpura 19. Ludhiana East - Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola 20. Atam Nagar - Kulwant Singh Sidhu 21. Ludhiana Central - Ashok Prashar Pappi 22. Ludhiana West - Sanjeev Arora 23. Ludhiana North - Chaudhary Madan Lal Bagga 24. Payal - Manwinder Singh Giaspura 25. Nihal Singh Wala - Manjit Singh Bilaspur 26. Bhagha Purana - Amritpal Singh Sukhanand 27. Moga - Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora 28. Dharamkot - Devinder Jeet Singh Laddi Dhos 29. Jalalabad - Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy 30. Fazilka - Narinderpal Singh Sawna 31. Muktsar - Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar 32. Kotkapura - Kultar Singh Sandhwan 33. Jaitu - Amolak Singh 34. Talwandi Sabo - Ms. Baljinder Kaur 35. Sardulgarh - Gurpreet Singh Banawali 36. Bhadaur - Labh Singh Ugoke 37. Mehal Kalan - Kulwant Singh Pandori 38. Amargarh - Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra 39. Dhuri - Bhagwant Mann 40. Patiala - Ajitpal Singh Kohli