Arvind Kejriwal in Karnataka today for AAP campaign ahead of assembly poll

According to AAP leaders, the two leaders will also administer an oath to the party’s state office bearers and block and circle committee members from all 224 constituencies to work to bring honesty and integrity to Karnataka politics.

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, will address a public gathering in Davangere on Saturday in a bid to step up the party’s preparations for assembly elections in the state, leaders close to developments said on Friday.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal will address a public gathering in Davangere on Saturday. (ANI)

According to AAP leaders, the two leaders will also administer an oath to the party’s state office bearers and block and circle committee members from all 224 constituencies to work to bring honesty and integrity to Karnataka politics.

Karnataka AAP state convener Prithvi Reddy said major plans and guarantees to the people of the state would be announced.

“This programme will be the first of various events in which Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and various AAP leaders are expected to participate in the campaign leading up to Karnataka elections,” he said.

In January, AAP leader Atishi Marlena announced that the party would fight in all 224 Assembly constituencies across the state in the election, and the list of candidates would be announced in the first week of March.

Kejriwal’s visit to the poll-bound state also comes in the backdrop of former Bengaluru city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao leaving the party to join the BJP on Tuesday.

Rao resigned from the IPS and joined AAP in April last year. He was recently appointed as the party’s manifesto committee chairperson. Rao claimed on Tuesday that there was no scope for growth in the party, and he had decided to move on.

Ravichandra Nerabenchi, working president of AAP, said earlier this week that the leaders are focussing on building the party organisation, adding that mainstream parties have failed to address the issues of people regarding health and education.

The AAP would start alternative ideas along the lines of the Delhi model of governance in the state, he added.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Brijesh Kalappa on Friday slammed the BJP government. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah repeatedly come to Karnataka and make election speeches under the pretext of development works.

“They are talking as if it is certain that BJP will come to power again in the state. But Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have not spoken about the allegations of corruption against Chitradurga MLA Tippareddy, Shivamogga MLA KS Eshwarappa, Mahadevpura MLA Arvind Limbavali and others during the current BJP government.”

“Now, another MLA of his party, Madal Virupakshappa’s son, has been caught by the Lokayukta officials along with the witness when he was getting a commission. Roughly ₹8 crore of undocumented cash was found. If Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have guts, let them comment on this,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)