AAP Makes Strategic Shift to Punjab Ahead of Polls

After the Delhi debacle, party bets big on its last stronghold, intensifies focus on Malwa region.

- NEERAJ MOHAN

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections still over a year away, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has begun a major political shift—redirecting its top leadership, strategic resources, and attention to the state, its last remaining stronghold. In a bid to retain power in Punjab, the party has relocated key members of its Delhi-based strategy team and is setting up a full-fledged election war room in Chandigarh.

The move follows AAP's sharp defeat in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, where its seat count plummeted from 62 to just 22—allowing the BJP to seize control. The loss has prompted AAP to double down on Punjab, which it views as essential for its political survival and continued relevance at the national level.

"Yes, several senior strategists have already shifted to Punjab. The party is determined to hold on to the state at any cost," said a senior party functionary involved in the campaign planning, speaking on condition of anonymity.