Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is hoping to expand its base in Punjab and Goa.
New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party will contest the assembly elections in Gujarat - the home state of his political arch-rival Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- sources in the party said. Elections are due in Gujarat later this year. The decision was made by Mr Kejriwal after his return from campaigning in Punjab and was announced at a meeting of the party's highest decision making body - the Political Affairs Committee - at his home last night.
Mr Kejriwal, who went to Bengaluru today for his annual health sojourn, has asked all division heads of the party to begin groundwork and go full throttle for both Gujarat election and the Delhi municipal election, which will also be held later this year. The national unit of the party will start working in Gujarat right away, while the Delhi unit will focus on the municipal elections.
AAP is hoping to expand its presence in a big way in Punjab and Goa, where the party contested all seats. In Punjab, it was seen as making a decisive impact, flying in planeloads of NRIs for its high-voltage campaign.
Gujarat has been a BJP heartland and the turf of PM Modi, who was Chief Minister of the state for 13 years before moving to the Centre. Sources in AAP said the party was hoping to cash in on what it described as the absence of a credible opposition.
Gulab Singh, the Delhi legislator who is in-charge of the party's Gujarat affairs, said the campaign will be aimed at "freeing the people of Gujarat from the fear, corruption, injustice and exploitation prevalent under the present government".
Mr Kejriwal has already recced Gujarat, holding several rallies there last year. After Mr Singh was arrested ahead of his rally in Surat, Mr Kejriwal had accused BJP chief Amit Shah of going out of his way to stop the rally. AAP sources said the campaign will give special attention to the BJP chief.
"AAP's strategy is to contest elections in states that have a two-cornered fight and where the opposition is weak," a leader said.
For the Delhi civic body, currently dominated by the BJP, AAP will be basing its campaign on sanitation and corruption.
Mr Kejriwal, who went to Bengaluru today for his annual health sojourn, has asked all division heads of the party to begin groundwork and go full throttle for both Gujarat election and the Delhi municipal election, which will also be held later this year. The national unit of the party will start working in Gujarat right away, while the Delhi unit will focus on the municipal elections.
AAP is hoping to expand its presence in a big way in Punjab and Goa, where the party contested all seats. In Punjab, it was seen as making a decisive impact, flying in planeloads of NRIs for its high-voltage campaign.
Gujarat has been a BJP heartland and the turf of PM Modi, who was Chief Minister of the state for 13 years before moving to the Centre. Sources in AAP said the party was hoping to cash in on what it described as the absence of a credible opposition.
Gulab Singh, the Delhi legislator who is in-charge of the party's Gujarat affairs, said the campaign will be aimed at "freeing the people of Gujarat from the fear, corruption, injustice and exploitation prevalent under the present government".
Mr Kejriwal has already recced Gujarat, holding several rallies there last year. After Mr Singh was arrested ahead of his rally in Surat, Mr Kejriwal had accused BJP chief Amit Shah of going out of his way to stop the rally. AAP sources said the campaign will give special attention to the BJP chief.
"AAP's strategy is to contest elections in states that have a two-cornered fight and where the opposition is weak," a leader said.
For the Delhi civic body, currently dominated by the BJP, AAP will be basing its campaign on sanitation and corruption.
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