The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab Friday named Cabinet Minister Aman Arora as the state unit president replacing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and appointed Batala MLA Amansher Singh Shery Kalsi as the working president. The appointment of Arora and Kalsi came a day after the by-elections to the four Punjab Assembly seats were held Thursday.

The move comes in the backdrop of AAP's LS poll performance. The party's vote share fell from 42% in the 2022 assembly polls to 26.2% in the 2024 parliamentary election.

Arora’s appointment is widely seen in political circles as effort by the AAP to attract Hindu voters, particularly in urban areas, while also countering the growing influence of the BJP in the state

Mann had earlier signalled that his dual role would be pared down. Arora's appointment is also a signal to Hindus, who seem to have turned away from AAP

The party also named MLA Amansher Singh Shairi Kalsi as the state working president. "Today, I have handed over the responsibility of the party president to two of my close collea

A prominent Hindu face of the AAP in Punjab, Arora’s appointment will not only help the party attract Hindu voters but also counter the BJP, which is making an aggressive push to expand its support base in the state after parting ways with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Cabinet Minister and Senior AAP Leader Aman Arora has been appointed as the new Party President of Punjab. He replaced Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Mann announced the appointment of Arora as the Party-state Unit President on Friday on his social media platform "X".