Will contest from Chamkaur Sahib at any cost, says dropped AAP MLA Charanjit Singh

Days after he was denied a party ticket for contesting from the Chamkaur Sahib seat, AAP MLA Charanjit Singh on Saturday (November 14, 2026) expressed his resentment over the party's move to ignore him and asserted that he would contest the poll at any cost.

In its second list of candidates, which was announced on Thursday (November 13), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) named Jasvir Singh Garhi, the former Punjab BSP president and former chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission, as the party's candidate from the Assembly constituency.

Mr. Garhi was appointed AAP's halqa in-charge (constituency in-charge) for Chamkaur Sahib in August.

After being replaced, Charanjit Singh said he had done his job honestly and brought many projects for the people of his Assembly constituency.

Mr. Singh also questioned the party's choice of Mr. Garhi over him, expressing doubt over his ability to register victory from Chamkaur Sahib.

"I am doing my job as an MLA honestly, and there is no allegation or any corruption charge against me. But why has the party done this," he asked.

He said even after defeating the former Chief Minister, he was not adjusted anywhere by the party.

"I never asked the party to give any ministerial position or anything else," he told PTI.

Asked whether he had any indication that he would not be renominated by the party, Mr. Charanjit Singh said a person who is working honestly always hopes for the allotment of a ticket.

"I was hopeful of getting the ticket," he said.

Mr. Charanjit Singh said that when Mr. Garhi was appointed the halqa in-charge, he was told that he was appointed to strengthen the organisation.

"Mr. Garhi had also said he was here to strengthen the organisation and not to contest [any election]," said Mr. Charanjit Singh, who is an eye surgeon.

Listing development projects undertaken during his tenure as an MLA, Singh told PTI that a ₹75 crore worth lift irrigation project scheme was implemented for 50 villages in his constituency; a 50-bed hospital was set up, and two drinking water projects were established.

He said a patwari office, an animal hospital, a fire office, a handball court, several bus stops and 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' were also set up.

"There is a long list of my works and these are just a few of them," said Mr. Singh.

Asked whether he took up with the party leadership when he was not named for Chamkaur Sahib, Mr. Singh said, "The party does not listen at all."

"For the past one year, I have been seeking an appointment with the chief minister for two minutes regarding some projects in my constituency. I could not get two minutes. I approached his OSD and IAS in-charge but could not get an appointment," claimed Mr. Singh.

"If an MLA does not get time, what can a common man expect," he asked.

He further said he had sought a meeting with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. But two months have passed; he could not get an appointment, he said.

Asked whether he would contest the upcoming elections, Mr. Singh said he would fight the elections from Chamkaur Sahib at any cost and claimed that other parties were approaching him.

The Punjab assembly polls are due early next year.

Mr. Singh unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly elections from Chamkaur Sahib. However, he won this seat in 2022 by defeating Congress nominee Mr. Channi in 2022.

Mr. Garhi was earlier with the Bahujan Samaj Party and had headed the state unit. However, he joined the AAP in January 2025. Later, he was appointed as the Punjab cheduled Caste panel chairman.

Mr. Garhi had unsuccessfully contested the 2022 state assembly polls from Phagwara and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Anandpur Sahib parliamentary seat.

Chandigarh / Aam Aadmi Party / Indian National Congress / Punjab