AAP looking for panchayat polls to bolster presence in Bihar

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eyeing the panchayat elections, starting September 24, to strengthen its organisation in Bihar and bolster its prospects for the next assembly elections, officials said

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eyeing the panchayat elections, starting September 24, to strengthen its organisation in Bihar and bolster its prospects for the next assembly elections, officials said.

Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (File photo)

The frequent visits of the party in-charge of Bihar, Sanjiv Jha, also an MLA of Borari area of Delhi, and his attempts to get in touch with panchayat-level activists are clear indications that AAP will strive to give a viable alternative to the people during the next assembly elections, said a senior functionary of the party in Bihar.

Jha, who originally hail from Madhubani district in Bihar, said that the party would intensify its drive to raise a network of committed workers after the crucial Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections in March-April next year. “Although the rural body elections are not held on the party symbols, we are supporting individual candidates in each panchayat to ensure the party’s role in the development of rural Bihar,” he said.

“The party has focussed its attention towards Bihar, particularly due to growing rift in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the likelihood of a mid-term poll,” said Jha, who concluded his last visit to the state on Wednesday.

A senior functionary of the party said that the exercise to reconstitute the state unit would begin once Jha completed his interactions with party workers at the district levels. “So far, Jha has visited as many as 23 districts till his third visit since he was made the in-charge. He will visit nine other districts during his next visit slated for September 27-28,” said Rajesh Sinha, who joined the AAP after quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year.

Another leader said that the party was also looking to induct disgruntled leaders of mass support from all parties and who fit into AAP’s ideology of serving the society. He said that grassroots-level workers of the party were disappointed when the party decided not to contest the assembly election at the last moment.

“This time, we are working in a very professional and organised way so that the APP could fulfil the space of Congress and the JD(U), which have lost their credibility among the masses. We hope to give a new state committee by December. A state executive committee is likely to be held in Bihar, which would be attended by party’s seniors like Manish Sisodia, Raghav Chaddha, etc,” said Sinha, adding that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal would be invited after the conclusion assembly polls in four states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa - where the party has a lot on the stake.