In a major announcement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has revealed its intention to field candidates for all 90 seats up for grabs in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh yesterday, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the party will strongly contest the state polls slated for later this year.
Singh, who was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other senior AAP figures, criticized the current BJP government in Haryana on various issues affecting the public. He pointed out unemployment continues to plague the state while law and order has deteriorated. Extortion by criminal elements has also become commonplace, he added. Touching upon the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme, Singh termed it an “insult” to the armed forces.
Underlining his party’s resolve, Mann stated that during visits across Haryana, people have expressed a desire for change from the status quo. Previous governments led by different parties have had their chances but all have ended up looting the state, he claimed. The AAP will put forth its vision and contest the polls vigorously with the slogan ‘Badlenge Haryana Ka Haal, Ab Layenge Kejriwal’, said Mann, expressing confidence in people rallying behind their message of change.
With this announcement, the AAP aims to expand its footprint beyond neighboring Punjab where it recently came to power. Whether it manages to emerge as a viable alternative by resonating with Haryana voters remains to be seen. But the party has kicked off its campaign on issues it believes are pertinent, setting the stage for an interesting electoral battle later in the year.
