AAP's first list of 40 candidates for Punjab's 2024 assembly elections was unveiled on Saturday. The slate includes 20 incumbents, 15 newcomers and 5 members of the party's youth wing. Bhagwant Mann, the party's chief minister, will contest from the Dhuri constituency.
The list follows AAP's historic 2022 sweep, where the party captured 92 of 117 seats. It now aims to retain its majority in a state that has been a battleground for decades. A farmer from Dhuri, Ramesh Kumar, said he is hopeful that Mann will bring better road connectivity.
Opposition parties have yet to release their candidate lists, but Punjab Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh has warned that the election will be tough for AAP. The Shiromani Akali Dal also hinted at a coalition strategy.
AAP will now kick off its statewide campaign next week, with the first candidate expected to launch rallies in early September. The elections are slated for March‑April 2025, a window that has already seen the state’s political machinery gearing up.