Naindeep Singh is running for Fresno City Council District 1 in the November 2026 election against Rob Fuentes, for the seat being vacated by termed-out Councilmember Annalisa Perea. He holds a master’s degree in teaching and worked as a science teacher and university lecturer before co-founding the Jakara Movement in 2000, a grassroots youth leadership organization serving the Central Valley’s Punjabi Sikh community; he has served as its executive director since 2009, growing it to roughly 70 high school clubs and 25 college chapters across 15 California counties. He was elected to the Central Unified School District Board of Trustees in 2018, unseating an incumbent.
Singh has campaigned on a “Fresno Affordability Agenda” targeting housing, utility, transportation, and childcare costs, and has said he would push for a formal sanctuary city policy in Fresno along with expanded legal aid and know-your-rights resources for immigrant and LGBTQ+ residents. He finished a close second to Rob Fuentes in the June 2026 primary and would be one of the first Punjabi Sikh members of the Fresno City Council if elected.
