After Punjab Win, AAP Begins Work On Its Nationwide Expansion Plan (FILE)
Riding high on its stupendous victory in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday took the first step towards its nationwide expansion and appointed new office-bearers for nine states including those going to assembly polls this year and in 2023.
The party will "soon" announce the names of its office-bearers for other states "in coming days", it said in a statement, releasing the names of the new office-bearers appointed for the nine states.
"The 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 proven track record have been appointed as election incharges," the statement added.
According to the list released by the party, Sandeep Pathak, who filed his nomination at Punjab Legislative Assembly complex earlier in the day for the March 31 Rajya Sabha polls, has been appointed as incharge of AAP's political affairs in Gujarat which will go to polls this year.
He has also been appointed as co-incharge of the party's political affairs in Punjab.
Mr Pathak, an IIT-Delhi faculty member, is touted as the AAP's 'Chanakya'.
Party sources said he has been working for the party "behind the scenes" for many years and has built "the entire organization cadre" in Punjab.
"He was the man behind conducting accurate and scientific surveys in the state, selection of candidates, and deciding the entire strategy for AAP's resounding victory in Punjab," they said.
With Pathak playing a key role in AAP's Punjab win, the party is banking on him for party's success in the upcoming assembly polls in the BJP-ruled Gujarat, they added.
The AAP has retained its MLA from Delhi Jarnail Singh as incharge of party's political affairs in Punjab.
Mr Pathak will replace AAP MLA from Delhi, Raghav Chadha, who served as co-incharge of party's political affairs in Punjab so far and filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha from the state earlier in the day.
In Gujarat, he will replace AAP's MLA from Delhi Gulab Singh. Singh, who was party's incharge of political affairs in Gujarat, will now serve as election incharge in the state.
The AAP, which has kept its equal focus on upcoming assembly polls in BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh this year, has appointed its political affairs committee and national executive member Durgesh Pathak as incharge of the party's political affairs in the hill state which also goes to polls later this year.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has been appointed as party's election incharge for the state.
The party will contest all 68 seats in the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Jain had recently announced.
With eye on Chhattisgarh assembly polls in 2023, the AAP has appointed its MLA from Burari in Delhi, Sanjeev Jha as the incharge of the party's political affairs in the tribal-dominated state.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will serve as the party's election incharge in Chhattisgarh, currently ruled by the Congress.
For Haryana, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sushil GUpta has been appointed as incharge of the party's political affairs in the state.
Party's chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj has been made the party's election incharge for Haryana.
AAP's Dwaraka MLA Vinay Mishra, son of Congress leader and former MP Mahabal Mishra, has been made incharge for the party in Rajasthan which will go to polls next year.
The AAP has appointed its leader A Raja as incharge of the party's political affairs in Kerala and made its Malviya Nagar MLA from Delhi, Somath Bharati, election incharge in the southern state.
Senior AAP leader and one of the founders of the party, Rajesh Sharma, will continue to serve as incharge of the party's political affairs in Assam, according to a list of new office-bearers released by the party.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)