Punjab politics: 3 AAP leaders join BJP ahead of 2027 Assembly elections, dealing blow to Bhagwant Mann

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, the political contest in the state is beginning to take shape well before the campaign season. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has already announced its first list of candidates, has now suffered a setback with three of its leaders joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday.

The leaders are Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who represented Amritsar North, and MLAs Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra. Their move gives the BJP an opportunity to strengthen its presence in Punjab while raising questions about the challenges facing the ruling party ahead of the election.

According to ANI, the three leaders joined the BJP in New Delhi on November 2. Their exit follows a series of disagreements and disciplinary action within the AAP's Punjab unit.

Why did three AAP leaders leave the party?

The departures come against the backdrop of growing differences between the leaders and the AAP leadership.

Pathanmajra, the MLA from Sanaur, and Jouramajra, who represents Samana, had resigned from the party after being suspended over alleged anti-party activities. The AAP had said it would approach the Punjab Assembly Speaker seeking their disqualification from the legislature.

Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh's departure has a longer history. The former IPS officer, who represents Amritsar North, was suspended from the AAP on June 29, 2025. On Monday, he announced his resignation from the Punjab Legislative Assembly.

In a post on X addressed to the people of Amritsar, Singh thanked his constituents for their support and said he would remain indebted to them. He also called for a change in the state's political culture, arguing that Punjab needed to move beyond what he described as "the politics of lanes and ribbon-cutting".

Singh cited drugs, extortion, gangsterism and corruption among the challenges confronting Punjab. He said his objective was to work towards clean politics and transparent administration, adding that his priority would be "Punjab First".

AAP announces 40 candidates as Punjab election preparations gather pace

The defections come just two days after the AAP announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been nominated from Dhuri, while Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan will contest from Kotkapura. The list also includes Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur and Labh Singh Ugoke from Bhadaur.

The nomination of Arora is particularly notable because the minister is currently in jail following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. The party has nevertheless retained him as its candidate from Ludhiana West.

The first list features sitting legislators, signalling that the AAP is beginning its election preparations early. However, the departures of three leaders within days of the announcement have added another dimension to the party's preparations.

What do the exits mean for the 2027 Punjab elections?

The BJP will hope the induction of the three leaders strengthens its political position in a state where it is seeking to expand its electoral footprint. For the AAP, the immediate challenge will be to manage the political fallout and maintain cohesion within its Punjab organisation.

The party won 92 of Punjab's 117 Assembly seats in 2022, securing a decisive mandate. Retaining that level of support will be a major test in 2027.

The Election Commission has yet to announce the polling schedule. But with candidate selection and political realignments already under way, Punjab's election contest is beginning to gather momentum.

(With inputs from ANI)