AAP discusses three-point action plan to widen national footprint

NEW DELHI: Hours after Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers took oath of office and secrecy in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a meeting with state executives to discuss the party’s expansion plans across the country.

“The agenda of the meeting was to discuss two things primarily,” said Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Delhi convener Gopal Rai, who chaired the meeting held at the chief minister’s residence.

“First, the message of the historic win in the Delhi elections, which came purely based on development works, should be disseminated across the country loud and clear. This is the right time to channelise the energy and enthusiasm of the volunteers to expand the party across the nation… Secondly, how this victory can be used as a springboard for expanding the party nationally.” said Rai.

The Aam Aadmi Party, after its first electoral foray into Delhi politics in 2013, when the party had won 28 seats, also contested 400 seats in the 2014 general elections.

However, the party faced a rout winning only four seats in Punjab and drawing a blank in all other states.

In 2017, the AAP also contested assembly polls in several states such as Goa and Maharashtra but could not win any seats. The AAP also contested 100 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, including those in Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. But it managed to bag only one in Punjab’s Sangrur.

After the party’s defeat in the 2017 municipal elections in Delhi, the AAP put on hold the expansion plans and decided to focus entirely on Delhi. The AAP is at present recognised by the Election Commission as a state party.

In his victory speech at the AAP head office on February 11, Kejriwal had hinted towards national expansion.

On Friday, Rai elaborated on the party’s plans to contest local body elections in other states, starting with Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh likely to be scheduled in the next few months.

Rai presented a three-point action plan before the meeting, which was discussed in detail and approved by the attendees through resolutions.

“First, a state-level meeting of all volunteers and office bearers shall be conducted. Secondly, posters inviting the people to join the ‘Nation Building’ campaign using the missed call number – 9871010101, shall be published in all legislative assembly constituencies. Thirdly, the state leadership will conduct a press conference in the state capitals and later in other major cities to disseminate the message of nation-building.,” said Rai.