Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has encountered an early political challenge in Punjab after two sitting MLAs decided to leave the party following their exclusion from its first list of candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The development has raised questions about internal coordination, leadership decisions and the growing importance of ticket distribution as political parties begin preparing for the next Assembly elections.
The controversy followed AAP’s announcement of its first list of 40 candidates on October 31, 2026. The list included Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri and several other prominent party leaders. However, two sitting legislators, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, representing Sanaur, and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, representing Samana, were not included.
The omission quickly turned into a political controversy. Both legislators announced their resignations from the party’s primary membership on November 1. Their departures came as a setback for the ruling party, particularly because both had represented constituencies in which the party had previously secured electoral victories.
Chetan Singh Jouramajra, a former Cabinet minister in the Bhagwant Mann government, had earlier held an important position in the state administration. His departure is particularly significant because he was once considered an important part of the ruling party’s political team. Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, meanwhile, had also experienced differences with the party leadership over various political and administrative issues.
The developments did not stop with their resignations from the party. By November 3, Jouramajra, Pathanmajra and former IPS officer and AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh had moved towards the BJP. The resignations of all three from the Punjab Legislative Assembly were accepted, leaving their respective constituencies vacant.
The episode raises a larger question for AAP leadership: how does a party that came to power with an overwhelming mandate manage its elected representatives when the next election approaches? Ticket distribution is an internal party decision, but excluding sitting legislators can create dissatisfaction, particularly when those representatives believe they have maintained their political standing in their constituencies.
The controversy also highlights the difficult relationship between political loyalty and electoral calculations. Political parties have the right to select candidates according to their assessment of performance, public support and winnability. However, they must also recognise that elected representatives have political constituencies, supporters and responsibilities towards voters.
For Punjab’s electorate, the bigger question is whether the next election will be fought on the basis of governance, public performance and accountability or whether political defections and candidate-selection controversies will dominate the campaign.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, AAP’s first candidate list has already demonstrated that ticket distribution can become a major test of party unity. The remaining candidate announcements will be closely watched by sitting MLAs, aspiring candidates and opposition parties.
The political message is clear: winning an election gives a party the mandate to govern, but retaining public confidence requires unity, transparency, performance and respect for its own elected representatives.