AAP to Release First List of Candidates Tomorrow for Punjab Assembly Polls

The Aam Aadmi Party has begun working aggressively on its electoral strategy for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. During a high-level meeting of the Political Affairs Committee held on Friday at the residence of party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, intense deliberations took place regarding the names of prospective candidates and election strategies. This crucial meeting was personally attended by Delhi national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, state election in-charge Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Jasmine Shah. To share grassroots feedback and inputs, Punjab Aam Aadmi Party president Aman Arora and state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema participated in this strategic discussion via video conferencing. Immediately after the meeting, while speaking to journalists, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made the official announcement that on October 31, which is Saturday, another meeting of the Political Affairs Committee will be held, right after which the Aam Aadmi Party will make its first list of candidates public.

The Aam Aadmi Party wants to field its candidates well before the imposition of the model code of conduct and the announcement of election schedules, so that candidates get adequate time to campaign and strengthen their footprint in their respective constituencies. According to sources, the party is going to take very strict steps to reduce anti-incumbency in the state. Under this, serious consideration is being given to cutting the tickets of 40 to 45 sitting MLAs, so that the path of regaining power can be made easier by giving opportunities to new and clean faces. The MLAs whose tickets are hanging in the balance are being selected on the basis of their activity in the area, popularity among the public, and internal survey reports conducted by the party.

On the other hand, an attempt is being made by the opposition to set a narrative in Punjab that the Aam Aadmi Party can't return to power. To give a befitting reply to this very narrative, big faces of the party who have won elections consecutively twice and whose political stature in the party is quite large, will be given tickets once again in the first list coming on Saturday, while through this, the party wants to send a strong message that they don't care about the narrative of the opposition and the Aam Aadmi Party is fully prepared to return to power in Punjab with great strength. The purpose of this entire electoral exercise is to further strengthen its grip in state politics and strategically leave opposition parties behind even before the official election announcement is made by the election commission.