As part of expansion plans, AAP names office bearers for 9 states
The party seeks to make inroads into states such as Gujarat, which has been a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion for decades
NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Rajya Sabha nominee and election strategist Sandeep Pathak, who has been credited with the party’s victory in Punjab, was on Monday appointed as the in charge of Gujarat. Pathak is among the new office bearers named for nine states.
Gujarat is due to go to the polls in November-December this year. AAP seeks to make inroads into states such as Gujarat, which has been a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion for decades.
“AAP is emerging as an alternative in Gujarat. For the youth, AAP is the first choice,” said AAP lawmaker Gulab Singh, the party’s Gujarat election campaign in charge.He added they need to pull votes from the BJP and Congress to win the assembly election. “We will do it.”
Singh said they will work as a team with the objective of defeating the BJP and Congress and wresting power in Gujarat. “The election in charge will be more focused on electioneering, strategizing, booth management, campaign management...the state in charge will be focused on strengthening the organisation at various levels and leveraging its power to ensure party’s victory in the state.”
Pathak, an Indian Institute of Technology Delhi professor, worked behind the scenes and played a role in the selection of candidates and electioneering in Punjab, where AAP wrested power from Congress this month.
In a statement, AAP said after the landslide victory in Punjab, the party is all set to increase its footprint throughout the country. “AAP has banked upon its experienced leaders to drive its campaigns and expand the party’s base in the states it is looking to target now. Several senior leaders with a proven track record have been appointed as election in charges. The party will soon announce its office bearers for other states in the coming few days.”
Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain has been appointed the election in charge of Himachal Pradesh. Durgesh Pathak will be the state in charge. The polls in Himachal Pradesh are due in November. AAP has announced it will contest all the seats in the state.
AAP has appointed eight office bearers for the state to handle the election campaign, strategy, and organisation. The team includes three co in charges – Ratnesh Gupta, Karamjit Singh Rintu, Kulwant Singh.
Rajya Sabha member P Sushil Gupta will be in charge of Haryana. Delhi minister Gopal Rai has been appointed election the in charge for Chhattisgarh. Lawmaker Sanjeev Jha will be the state in charge. Another Delhi lawmaker Somnath Bharti has been appointed election in charge of Telangana.
Several Congress members in Himachal switched to AAP on Monday in the presence of Jain. AAP said they are inspired by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s model of governance. “The party is receiving an overwhelmingly spectacular response from throughout Himachal Pradesh and people are ready to vote for change,” Jain said.
