AAP will contest 2022 UP assembly elections: Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the party shall contest the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

“In 2022, the AAP will contest Uttar Pradesh elections… A lot of people from Uttar Pradesh who live in Delhi have told us over the last few years that Uttar Pradesh too deserves good governance, welfare and benefits like Delhi,” said the chief minister in a video press briefing.

He further said, “Why do people from districts across Uttar Pradesh have to come to Delhi for healthcare, education and basic amenities? Why can’t they avail that in Uttar Pradesh? It is because all political parties in Uttar Pradesh have betrayed people. Each government has crossed the other one in terms of corruption. Uttar Pradesh politics lacks good intent. The AAP can change that… Give us a chance.”

“If Sangam Vihar in Delhi can have Mohalla Clinics, so can Gomti Nagar in Lucknow… Uttar Pradesh can have a good public healthcare system, education system and development. They only need an honest government,” said Kejriwal.

The announcement comes as the AAP registered its maiden win in the Goa zilla panchayat elections. The party opened its account with Hanzel Fernandes, who won the Benaulim seat in South Goa. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made big gains as it won 32 out of 49 seats in a clean sweep.

The issues which the party would focus on in Uttar Pradesh shall be healthcare, education, water and power supply-related issues, unemployment and law and order, said Sanjay Singh, the AAP’s Rajya Sabha member and in charge of the Uttar Pradesh unit. He said, “Why can’t Uttar Pradesh see development on all these fronts? The AAP has been focusing on a politics of change in the country and today’s announcement is a major step in this regard.”

Earlier this year, the party had said that it will be contesting 2022 assembly polls in Uttarakhand as well. The move is in line with its plan to spread beyond Delhi. Candidates of the party had earlier contested elections in states that include Punjab, Goa, Maharashtra and Haryana.

Currently, the party has legislative assembly members in Delhi and Punjab, and one Lok Sabha member from Punjab.

After defeat in the 2017 municipal elections in Delhi and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in which it had unsuccessfully pitched candidates in all seven Lok Sabha segments in Delhi, the party had announced that it would focus only on Delhi for a while.