The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unveiled its inaugural list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab on Thursday, comprising primarily sitting MLAs and ministers from the state. Following the blueprint of its strategy in Delhi, AAP has nominated several of its MLAs to contest the elections independently, without forming any alliances with other opposition groups.
Among the candidates selected by AAP in the initial list are incumbent ministers and MLAs of Punjab, mirroring the party's approach seen in Delhi. Notably, AAP has nominated sitting ministers Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal for Amritsar, Laljit Singh Bhullar for Khadur Sahib, Gurmeet Singh Khudia for Bathinda, Gurmeet
 Singh met Hayer for Sangrur, and Dr. Balbir Singh for Patiala.
Punjab comprises 13 Lok Sabha seats, with AAP clinching one seat in the previous elections, won by Bhagwant Mann in Sangrur. However, following AAP's triumph in the 2022 assembly elections, Mann assumed the role of Chief Minister, prompting his resignation from the Lok Sabha. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the UPA secured 8 seats, while the NDA claimed 4 seats.
Despite not forging an alliance with the Congress in Punjab, AAP and Congress are jointly contesting elections in four other states. AAP is slated to contest four Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, while Congress will field candidates in three seats. Additionally, AAP has secured 2 seats in Gujarat and one in Haryana, with the party offering its support to the Congress candidate in Goa.
