E-Paper
After MCD victory, AAP eyes municipal polls in Prayagraj
The party has begun selecting candidates carefully and is ensuring that they are committed towards development of the areas they wish to represent. Besides the candidates for the post of corporators, half a dozen candidates for the post of mayor have also approached senior leaders of the party for the ticket.
Buoyed by its impressive win in the recently held Delhi Municipal Corporation polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) now plans to put up a similar show in the Prayagraj municipal election to be held soon.
The party has begun selecting candidates carefully and is ensuring that they are committed towards development of the areas they wish to represent. Besides the candidates for the post of corporators, half a dozen candidates for the post of mayor have also approached senior leaders of the party for the ticket.
The Aam Aadmi Party leaders say that the party will contest municipal polls with issues of development in the forefront. Candidates with clean records and dedicated for development of localities under their jurisdiction will be fielded by the party in municipal polls.
After the inclusion of many rural areas in the nagar nigam, the number of wards in Prayagraj has increased from 80 to 100. Also, some old wards have also been merged into other wards on the basis of density of population.
While the post of mayor has been reserved for OBC candidates as per notification by the government, many other wards have also been reserved for OBC and women candidates.
Aam Aadmi Party district president Altaf Ahmad said Prayagraj has been given the status of smart city. “However, half of the smart city gets submerged in water during the floods. Around eighty percent of roads, drains in the city are in dilapidated condition; wires are hanging loose and are inviting untoward incidents. Stray cattle are one of the biggest menaces in Prayagraj for which nagar nigam has no solution. Government hospitals and schools run by nagar nigam are closed down while there has been an increase in house tax four times. The increased house tax rates will be implemented soon after the polls,” he said.
“All these issues will be raised by the party in the upcoming municipal polls and we will work on them if the party has the majority in the polls,” he added.
“We follow the ‘CCC formula’ in which the party candidate is not corrupt, criminal and communal. We keep in mind that the candidate is dedicated to the development of his area. We were searching for candidates in the last municipal polls, but now a large number of people interested in contesting polls are seeking support of the Aam Aadmi Party,” he said.
“Candidates with good profiles are approaching us and we are making selections based on their past records. A corporator has recently left Shiv Sena to join AAP and many more from other parties may join soon. Moreover, 6 candidates for the post of mayor have also approached the party senior leaders. However, decisions about them will be taken by the party high command. Women candidates will be given priority in the party,” district president added.
Party will adopt a unique way for canvassing among voters and a team will arrive from Delhi during the polls for this purpose. Besides nukkad natak and door to door campaigning, we will adopt some new techniques for approaching voters and convincing them to support the party, Altaf Ahmad further said.
