Punjab Elections 2022: AAP Releases First List Of 10 Candidates, All Are Sitting MLAs

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday released its first list of 10 candidates for the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. The Assembly election will be held early next year.

All the 10 candidates are sitting legislators.

The list of 10 candidates comes after two of its MLAs jumped the ship and sided with the ruling Congress party.

AAP fielded Jai Kishan Roudi from Garhshankar, Sarvjit Kaur from Jagraon, Manjeet Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo, Principal Budhram from Budhlada, Harpal Singh Cheena from Dirba, Aman Arora from Sunam, Gurmeet Singh Meet from Barnala and Kulwant Pandori from Mehal Kalan. READ & WATCH: AAP Bathinda Rural MLA Ruby Roots For CM Channi; Joins Congress

Party leader Aman Arora will once again contest from Sunam, whereas Harpal Singh, who is heading the party in the Punjab Assembly elections, has been given a ticket from Dirbha. Baljinder Kaur will try her luck in the elections from Talwandi Sabo.

Notably, just in two days and before elections the party has suffered two setbacks. Rupinder Kaur Ruby, MLA Bathinda Rural has now joined Congress. Meanwhile, speculations are also on that AAP MLA from Raikot Jagtar Singh Jagga switched sides to the Congress camp during Thursday Vidhan Sabha session.

Rupinder Kaur Ruby claimed she was feeling suffocated in AAP and wasn’t allowed to serve the people of Punjab by the party despite being a legislator.

However, while talking to media persons, MLA Jagtar Singh Jagga said that even though he is impressed by the work of Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, he hasn’t officially joined the Congress yet.

So far I have not joined Congress, I just praised the good work of CM Charanjit Singh Channi. Channi did exemplary work in the last 50 days and every single common people of Punjab is praising his working style. So did I. If there will be any development about joining Congress, I will inform the party and media as well in prior

The Aam Aadmi Party is being considered as a strong contender in the triangular contest in the state. In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had tried its luck for the first time in the 2017 assembly election and performed well, winning 20 seats in the state and securing the status of the main opposition party.

Profile of 10 AAP candidate contesting 2022 Punjab elections:

Aman Arora:

Aman Arora is the young face of Punjab and a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party. Elected from Sunam constituency for the first time as an MLA in February 2017 by a record 30,307 votes. Aman Arora is currently the Co-President of the Punjab state unit of AAP. The son of Bhagwan Das Arora, two-time MLA and Minister of Punjab, Aman joined politics at an early age and contested elections from Sunam twice, in 2007 and 2012. In January 2016, after being influenced by Arvind Kejriwal’s politics of the common man, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

Jai Kishan Rodi:

Jai Kishan Rodi elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Rodi defeated SAD candidate Surinder Singh Heer from a thin margin of 1,650 votes.

Sarbjit Kaur Manuke:

Kaur was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017 and had defeated Malkit Singh Dhaka of Congress party. Kaur’s winning margin was 25,576 votes.

Manjeet Bilaspur

Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017.

Kultar Singh Sandhwan:

Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Sandhwan defeated Harnirpal Singh Kukku of Congress.

Gurmeet Singh Meet

Gurmeet Singh Meet was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Remained, Member of Committee on Public Undertaking and House Committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-18). Presently, Member of Committee on Petitions of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2018-19).

Kulwant Singh Pandori

Kulwant Singh Pandori was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Remained Malwa Incharge in Dailies namely Ajit, Rozana Spokesman & Pehredaar and Member of Subordinate Legislation Committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-18). Presently, Member of Library Committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2018-19).

Harpal Singh Cheema

Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Served as Member of Committee on Government Assurances of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-18). Also served as Member of Committee on Welfare of SCs, STs & BCs of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-19). He is presently, Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Principal Burdham

Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Worked as Lecturer (Economics) and Principal of Senior Secondary School. Also Served as Member of Library Committee and Committee on Local Bodies on Panchayti Raj Institutions of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-18). Presently, Member of Committee on Government Assurances of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2018-19).

Baljinder Kaur

Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the first time in 2017. Worked as Professor in English at Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib and Member of Committee on Subordinate Legislation of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2017-18). Presently, Member of Committee on Subordinate Legislation and Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions of Punjab Vidhan Sabha (2018-19)