The Aam Aadmi Party needs to set a target of winning more seats in the upcoming election than in the 2015 polls when it secured 67 of the 70 Assembly seats, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told party members on Saturday.
Elections to Delhi Assembly are due early next year. This time, Prashant Kishor-led political consultancy firm I-PAC has come on board with AAP to help in its election campaign.
Mr. Kejriwal said: “Just over a month is left for the Delhi Assembly polls and since the city is AAP’s base, we have to fight the election strongly. Our target is also very big. Last time, we won 67 seats. This time, we should not get less than that but more.”
‘Take up responsibility’
He advised party members and volunteers to take up whatever responsibility that are assigned to them for the poll campaign in earnest.
Mr. Kejriwal claimed that his party has changed the political discourse and forced the BJP to talk about development issues in Delhi.
“It’s the same BJP that seeks votes based on Jats and non-Jats in Haryana and Hindu-Muslim in the rest of the country. But in Delhi, it has been forced to talk about development. The BJP’s agenda of Hindu-Muslim politics does not work in Delhi. Through our work done in the last five years, we have given a hope to the people,” he said. On Friday, the party launched its new slogan — Acche beete paanch saal-Lage raho Kejriwal (the last five years went well -keep going Kejriwal). The Chief Minister also said it is often observed that the political parties formed out of a movement could not sustain itself because of internal feuds and differences between the members.
“The examples of 1977 and Assam are stark reminders of this fact. People had the same misconception about AAP.We formed the party and garnered a large number of votes which was contrary to the expectations of all the sceptics,” he said.
He also said: “What came after the victory was more difficult for AAP. It often happens that after coming to power, parties become arrogant and eventually are not able to handle the responsibility for which they were elected.”
Rajya Sabha MP and senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh claimed that the work of his party’s government in education, health, power, water and other sectors are being discussed all over the world.
Other prominent party members who attended the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, party leaders Gopal Rai and Atishi.
