Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, slammed AAP’s newly released roster of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, saying the party had ignored Sikh sentiments by nominating a person labeled ‘Tankhaiya’ by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
The list, unveiled in a press conference on Tuesday, names Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Dhuri and several sitting MLAs, but omits high‑profile figures such as Punjab AAP president Aman Arora and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, sparking speculation about internal power dynamics.
BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon joined the criticism, arguing that AAP’s early announcement is a pre‑emptive move to lock in legislators and prevent defections once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force.
AAP’s Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj defended the ticketing process, citing a rigorous deliberation by the Political Affairs Committee, and defended jailed candidate Sanjeev Arora as a ‘strong worker’ whose arrest he blamed on a ‘fake case’ by the opposition.
In Ludhiana West, where Arora’s supporters rally, residents say the candidate’s focus on local infrastructure has earned them trust, and the community fears that removing him could hurt ongoing development projects.
The SAD and BJP leaders have demanded an immediate review of the candidate list, while AAP insists it will contest the elections based on the governance record of the Mann government; the Election Commission’s response is awaited.