4 min readChandigarhJun 14, 2026 01:06 PM IST
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has tossed a pebble into Punjab’s political pond. The AAP chief claims to have information that the Assembly elections may be advanced from February to November. He has also wasted little time in declaring Bhagwant Mann as the party’s chief ministerial face for the next Assembly elections. However, this was hardly breaking news. Political circles have been discussing both the possibilities for months, with the proposed Census operations expected to compress the electoral calendar. The timing is interesting.
For the ruling party, the political arithmetic may currently favour what experts call TINA – There Is No Alternative. The Congress remains busy managing its many power centres. The BJP is expanding but has yet to emerge as a principal challenger. The Shiromani Akali Dal is still trying to find its old rhythm. Why give rivals a few extra months to settle differences, build narratives, and discover common purpose? Perhaps Kejriwal is merely reading the political weather. His remarks have served a purpose. They have shifted the conversation from whether the AAP can retain power to when Punjab might vote. And in politics, setting the question is often half the answer.
AAP’s ‘softening’ stand on dynasty politics
The AAP once wore its opposition to dynasty politics as a badge of honour. It rarely missed an opportunity to take a swipe at rivals for promoting sons, daughters, and assorted relatives. But politics, as they say, is the art of keeping options open. The election of MLA Kulwant Singh’s son, Sarabjit Singh Samana, as Mohali Mayor and AAP leader Amarjeet Mehta’s son, Padamjeet Mehta, as Bathinda Mayor suggests that the AAP’s rigid line on political inheritance may now be getting a little flexible. Certainly stretched if not abandoned. The developments have not gone unnoticed within party circles. They have also revived the occasional corridor chatter around Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife, Gurpreet Kaur, whose growing visibility at public functions often sparks speculation about a future political role. Till now, the AAP’s anti-dynasty plank was the standard response to such talk. The goalposts have, however, shifted. Some in the party wonder whether a few new possibilities have quietly opened up.
Waiting for axe, minister clears files before Kejriwal’s visit
In the days leading up to Arvind Kejriwal’s Punjab visit on June 13, a Cabinet minister appeared to be preparing for the worst. Department officials were quietly instructed to ensure that all pending files, ranging from routine administrative approvals to transfers and key office decisions, were cleared before June 12. The unusual urgency did not go unnoticed in bureaucratic circles. The minister, according to party insiders, had reasons to be anxious. Relations with sections of the party leadership had reportedly turned less than cordial in recent months, fuelling speculation that a Cabinet reshuffle could be on the cards. The timing of Kejriwal’s visit only added to the chatter.
Yet, when the AAP supremo arrived and stayed on for two days, there was no sign of any political earthquake. No minister was shown the door, nor was any reshuffle announced. For now, the minister can breathe easy, though perhaps not entirely.
BJP’s Punjab puzzle
The BJP’s alliance puzzle in Punjab has left both friends and rivals scratching their heads. Days after BJP national president Nitin Nabin remarked that the option of an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal remained open, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly told Punjab BJP leaders during a recent meeting that there was no question of a tie-up. The mixed messaging has triggered speculation within party ranks, with workers unsure whether to prepare for a solo contest or keep the alliance channels open.
Story continues below this ad
The confusion has not been confined to the BJP. The AAP, too, found itself on an uncomfortable wicket. Reacting to reports of possible BJP-SAD rapprochement, Arvind Kejriwal took to X, describing the possibility as the “ED party” and the “Chitta party” coming together. However, Shah’s subsequent remarks left AAP leaders wondering whether they had fired a political salvo at a target that may not even exist.
Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram
