AAP renominates two-time MLA Baljinder Kaur
Former English lecturer, two-time MLA and party's Chief Whip gets another ticket; began her political journey with the anti-corruption movement
Harvinder Kaur
Chandigarh, October 31, 2026: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has renominated two-time MLA Prof Baljinder Kaur from Talwandi Sabo in its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, giving her another opportunity to retain the constituency she has represented since 2017.
A former English lecturer who entered politics through the anti-corruption movement, Baljinder Kaur has emerged as one of the prominent women faces of the AAP in Punjab. She currently serves as the party's Chief Whip in the Punjab Legislative Assembly and is also associated with the party's national executive.
Her political journey has taken her from teaching at a college in Fatehgarh Sahib to winning two consecutive Assembly elections from Talwandi Sabo.
From classroom to electoral politics
Before entering mainstream politics, Baljinder Kaur worked as a lecturer in English at Mata Gujri College in Sri Fatehgarh Sahib.
She holds an MPhil in English and hails from Jaga Ram Tirth village in Punjab's Bathinda district. She became associated with the India Against Corruption movement in 2011 and subsequently joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012.
Her first electoral contest came in the 2014 Talwandi Sabo Assembly by-election, which she lost. However, she continued working in the constituency and returned to contest the 2017 Assembly elections.
This time, she won the seat, defeating Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu by 19,293 votes.
The victory brought her into the Punjab Legislative Assembly and made her one of the early women legislators associated with the AAP in the state.
Two consecutive Assembly victories
Baljinder Kaur retained Talwandi Sabo in the 2022 Assembly elections, securing her second consecutive term. She defeated Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu by 15,252 votes, according to the election results.
Her victory came as the AAP registered a sweeping win across Punjab, securing 92 of the state's 117 Assembly seats. Between the two Assembly elections, she also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda as the AAP candidate but could not win the parliamentary seat.
From MLA to AAP's Chief Whip
Baljinder Kaur has held several organisational and legislative responsibilities during her political career.She served as president of the AAP's Punjab women's wing and is a member of the party's national executive.
In the Punjab Legislative Assembly, she chaired the Committee on Questions and References during 2022-23.
She was subsequently appointed the party's Chief Whip in the Assembly, a position that involves coordinating the party's legislative members and ensuring its participation in House proceedings.
She is also a member of the Select Committee on the Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025.
Her legislative assignments have included committees dealing with subordinate legislation, local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions.
Another electoral test in 2027
With the AAP announcing her candidature from Talwandi Sabo again, Baljinder Kaur will seek to retain the constituency for a third consecutive Assembly term.
Her nomination is also among the four women candidates named in the party's first list of 40 nominees, alongside Inderjit Kaur Mann from Nakodar, Santosh Kataria from Balachaur and Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora from Moga.
The party has also nominated Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura, Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West, Ajitpal Singh Kohli from Patiala and Kulwant Singh from SAS Nagar.
The 2027 election will be another test of Baljinder Kaur's electoral standing in Talwandi Sabo, where she first won the Assembly seat a decade earlier.