In a first, Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday announced the names of its five candidates, out of total 13, for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to be held sometime in 2019, retaining two of its sitting MPs.

The party, in its previous core committee meeting, had decided to announce the candidates by November end, or December. But, the hasty announcement has not only surprised the rebel faction, but also the political experts in the state.

It was expected that AAP leadership may forge unity with the rebel group by consulting them on seat allocation as the talks for resolving the differences between two factions have already initiated a week back.

The announcement was made by Talwandi Sabo MLA Prof Baljinder Kaur and core committee head Principal Budh Ram.

While the party has once again field its two sitting MPs from their respective seats — Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur, and Prof Sadhu Singh from Faridkot, AAP has not named the candidates of two other Lok Sabha seats — Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib — from where it has its MPs but have turned rebels.

The party has fielded Dr Ravjot Singh, who had contested 2017 Vidhan Sabha election from Sham Churasi and got 42,797 votes, from Hoshiarpur, while AAP candidate from Mohali in 2017 Vidhan Sabha election Narinder Singh Shergill will contest from Sri Anandpur Sahib.

AAP Majha zone in-charge Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who is also a progressive farmer and has been involved in activities related to welfare of the society, will contest from Amritsar.

Principal Budhram said that all candidates are old members of party and have worked hard at the ground level for the party’s upliftment.