The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released its first list of 10 candidates for the Punjab assembly elections on Friday.

All the ten candidates are sitting legislators and AAP has fielded them from their present seats.

Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and Aam Aadmi Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema has been fielded from Dirba assembly constituency, while Saravjit Kaur Manuke, his deputy, will be contesting from Jagraon.

AAP state unit chief Bhagwant Mann and Jarnail Singh released the list

Aman Arora has been named from Sunam, Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo, Budhram from Budhlada, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from Barnala, Jai Kishan Rori from Garhshankar, Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Kulwant Pandori from Mehal Kalan and Manjeet Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala.

The list was released by AAP state unit chief Bhagwant Mann and Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh.

This comes after AAP’s sitting MLA from Bathinda Rural (reserved), Rupinder Kaur Ruby, jumped ship to join the Congress on Wednesday.

Another shocker for the AAP was Raikot MLA Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal openly endorsing Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in the state assembly.

AAP MLA calls CM Channi ‘aam aadmi’

The development fuelled speculation that the Raikot MLA may join the Congress, but Jagga clarified that he is not joining the grand old party.

On Thursday, Channi took a dig at the AAP and in an apparent swipe at Arvind Kejriwal said one chief minister had questioned his credentials as the common man’s CM.

AAP leaders protested against the CM’s statement after which he told the AAP leaders that he would ask their MLAs whether they consider him “aam aadmi”.

Then AAP legislator Jagtar Singh Jagga rose from his seat and said that he accepted Channi as “aam aadmi”.

Jagga then came to the treasury benches and met some Congress legislators.