UP Polls: AAP formulates strategy for each region, uses triple ‘C’ formula to vet candidates

The party to contest all 403 assembly seats. Its list of first 150 candidates has 55 OBC candidates, 31 schedule caste, 36 Brahmin, six Kayastha, 14 Muslims and seven businessmen among others

Lucknow: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is giving final push to make inroads into electoral politics of Uttar Pradesh and register its presence in the state assembly. The party has formulated a separate strategy for each assembly segment based on caste combinations and local factors, besides giving representation to all.

AAP is also using its Delhi formula for selection of candidates based on triple ‘C’ which stands for crime, corruption and character. (HT)

In addition to this, the AAP is also using its Delhi formula for selection of candidates based on triple ‘C’ which stands for crime, corruption and character. “All candidates are being vetted on the triple ‘C’ formula. It is mandatory for them to clear this test. In Delhi, candidates selected on this formula have defeated well established and prominent leaders of BJP and Congress,” said Mahindra Pratap Singh, state media coordinator, AAP.

During selection of candidates, the Central and the state leaderships of the party vetted candidates on various counts, including caste combination, winnability factor, qualification and local scenario.

The AAP leadership has made it a point that there would be no random selection of candidates just for the sake of it. The party will also focus on such assembly segments across the state from prominent BJP leaders are contesting.

AAP will contest almost all 403 assembly seats making the polls a four cornered contest between BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP and AAP. In its first list of 150 candidates, the AAP has given representation to all caste combinations and the Muslim community.

Keeping into consideration local factors of an assembly segment, the AAP’s list of first 150 candidates has 55 OBC candidates, 31 schedule caste, 36 Brahmin, six Kayastha, 14 Muslims and seven businessmen among others.

Vishnu Kumar Jaiswal will be party’s candidate from Sirathu assembly seat in Kaushambhi district. Here, he will challenge Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy CM of the BJP.

Rajeev Yadav will challenge Suresh Khanna, senior BJP leader and finance minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, in Shahjahanpur assembly segment.

In Noida, a predominantly urban assembly segment in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, Pankaj Awana will be AAP’s candidate. He will challenge sitting MLA of the BJP, Pankaj Singh, who is the son of union defence minister Rajnath Singh.

Now, when the Election Commission of India (ECI) has banned election rallies till January 22 due to Covid-19 pandemic, AAP is all out with its social media team to connect with voters across the state.

“We have a formidable presence on social media as compared to other parties. Our goal is to make sure that the policies of Arvind Kejriwal government and promises made with electorate of Uttar Pradesh reach every cell phone in the state,” said Singh.

When it comes to door-to-door campaigning, it is advantage AAP, claim AAP leaders.

“We will reach out to the maximum households through door-to-door campaigning. In every assembly segment 20 teams are being constituted. Each will have five members to carry out the campaign,” said Vaibhav Maheshwari, AAP’s spokesperson, Uttar Pradesh.

“In all 403 assembly constituencies across the state, these teams have the task to knock at every door,” Sanjay Singh, state incharge of AAP, had said on Sunday.

For the last two years, AAP leader Sanjay Singh has been reaching out to every corner of the state from where any incident or crime has been reported. Be it Hathras gang rape and murder case or the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Singh has been among the first politician to reach out to aggrieved families.

Party’s ‘Tiranga Yatra’ spanning across the state has been successful.

Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal offered prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi site and Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya on October 10 last year. There, he had announced to include the temple town in the Delhi government’s free pilgrimage scheme.

Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, had addressed the party’s Tiranga Yatra in Ayodhya on September 14 last year.