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AAP’s stunning rise to impact Haryana’s political landscape
Kejriwal’s party got a mere 0.48% vote share in the 2019 Haryana assembly polls but may see a resurgence
The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) astounding win in the Punjab assembly elections is likely to influence the political landscape in neighbouring Haryana. Not much of an entity in Haryana till now, Arvind Kejriwal’s outfit came a cropper in the 2019 assembly elections securing less than 60,000 votes in 46 assembly seats it contested.
However, the Punjab win has stoked a debate in the Haryana political circles on possibilities of the party spreading its footprint in a state flanked by Delhi as well as Punjab, both ruled by AAP.
Political leaders are estimating that about 20-30 frontline leader across party lines in the state will be keen to test electoral waters under AAP’s banner.
“A number of BJP MPs, primarily who quit the Congress to join the saffron party, a sizeable number of Congress, JJP leaders including sitting MLAs could be the first ones to approach the AAP hierarchy,” said a political expert.
First-time Independent MLA from Meham, Balraj Kundu said AAP’s expected resurgence in Haryana can trigger an exodus from all major political parties.
“A lot people have called me since yesterday and asked to think about a political innings with the AAP. I also want to establish a distinct identity for myself,” said Kundu. The legislator said since people of the state did not have an alternative, their options were limited.
“However, if AAP can position itself as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress, a new political dimension will emerge. Dynastic politics will get wiped out as in Punjab,” he said.
Political experts said many frontline leaders who quit the Congress and joined the BJP in hope of greener pastures were disappointed with the saffron party. “Since they are not originally from the Sangh Parivar and are considered outsiders, they do not get too much weightage in the BJP. Those leaders are looking at AAP’s trajectory closely,” he said.
Prof Ashutosh Kumar, a political scientist from the Panjab University, Chandigarh, said AAP’s stupendous win in Punjab will certainly raise its stock in the neighbouring Haryana.
“The AAP may not sweep Haryana like it did in Punjab. But I expect the party to become a potent political force by the 2024 state assembly polls in Haryana. A number of political leaders from across parties may actually switch over,” he said.
Prof Kumar said as the Congress is in a state of decline and there is intense wrangling within the party, the grand old party may actually cede space to AAP.
AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP and party in-charge for Haryana Sushil Gupta said since yesterday, he has been getting calls from political leaders who wanted to join the party. “In fact, it’s surprising that majority of the politicians who called were from the BJP,” Gupta said.
The AAP leader said earlier the party was probably not able to infuse confidence in the people of Haryana. “The lack of confidence in our ability to win a full state is a thing of past after the Punjab victory,” he said.
On the party’s strategy in state, Gupta said they will contest the upcoming municipal elections on the party symbol.
