11 Lakh Join AAP In Haryana, Most In ML Khattar's Constituency, Claims Party

The Aam Aadmi Party has enrolled over 11 lakh new members during a month-long drive in Haryana, it said on Tuesday, claiming that it received the maximum support in the assembly constituencies represented by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala.

Senior party leader Ashok Tanwar said AAP enrolled 35,654 new members in Khattar's Karnal assembly segment and it was the maximum for any Vidhan Sabha segment in the state.

He said 25,060 people from Chautala's Uchana constituency joined AAP during the drive and these top two were followed by Education Minister Kanwar Pal's Jagadhri constituency with 14,550 new members.

Karnal also topped in terms of Lok Sabha constituencies, according to the party.

More than 1.56 lakh new members joined AAP from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency. It was followed by Ambala (1,46,780) and Hisar (1,35,789). AAP got least number of new members from Kurukshetra (85,953) and Gurugram (84,264) Lok Sabha segments.

Mr Tanwar said these numbers indicated the "mood of the people for a 'badlaav' (change)".

Sushil Gupta, AAP's Haryana affairs in-charge, claimed that the "overwhelming public response" for AAP indicated that the outfit was emerging as a viable alternative ahead of next year's polls in the state.

The AAP launched the membership drive on March 11.

"Our aim was to enroll 10 lakh new members in a month, but we received an overwhelming response from the public and enrolled 11,77,241 members in the state," he told reporters.

"We will set up a strong organisation and the corrupt government in the state will be ousted after the polls. Like Delhi and Punjab, an honest government will be formed here. AAP is emerging as the only viable alternative ahead of next year's polls," he said.

Mr Gupta said there's a "growing resentment" against the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana.

Referring to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's questioning by the CBI on Sunday as a witness in the excise policy case, Mr Gupta alleged the Centre was misusing probe agencies to target political opponents. He claimed the allegations of scam were false.

"BJP has created an atmosphere of an undeclared emergency in the country," he alleged.

Replying to a question, Anurag Dhanda said on the issue of alleged misuse of the central agencies the entire opposition has one opinion. "Whether it takes the shape of a political 'gathbandhan' (alliance) should be left for future," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)