The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its candidates for all 13 Lok Sabha seats, featuring a mix of sitting MLAs, political turncoats, and new faces. However, the absence of any female candidates in the line-up has raised eyebrows, especially considering that women constitute 47.4% of the voter base and AAP itself boasts 11 women MLAs.
Ashok Prashar Pappi – Ludhiana
Pappi returned to AAP before the 2022 polls after a brief stint with Congress. He stands as the party’s only Hindu candidate this election cycle.
Amansher Sherry Kalsi – Gurdaspur
Kalsi’s selection was based on internal polls conducted by AAP. He had previously sought an AAP ticket from Batala in 2017.
Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar – Ferozepur
Brar, an agriculturist and former municipal councillor, has been with AAP for a decade and contested unsuccessfully from Muktsar in 2017.
Pawan Kumar Tinu – Jalandhar
Tinu, a prominent Dalit leader, recently switched allegiances from SAD to AAP. He will be competing against former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi and former AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, who joined BJP after his AAP candidacy was announced.
AAP has also fielded five of its ministers from the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections
Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (Sangrur)
Gurmeet Singh Khuddian (Bathinda)
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (Amritsar)
Dr Balbir Singh (Patiala)
Laljit Singh Bhullar (Khadoor Sahib)
The party has also introduced new faces to the political arena:
Karamjit Anmol – Faridkot: Anmol, a political newcomer, has been chosen as the AAP candidate for Faridkot.
Malvinder Singh Kang: Kang has emerged from student politics and will be contesting under the AAP banner.
In addition to these, two political turncoats have received tickets from AAP: Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal (formerly with Congress) and Gurpreet Singh GP (formerly with Congress).
AAP’s dominant performance in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections saw them securing 92 out of 117 seats.