After winning Delhi, AAP sets eyes on Uttar Pradesh

After forming a government for the third time in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is now trying to strengthen the party’s base in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

After forming a government for the third time in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is now trying to strengthen the party’s base in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh Monday joined the ongoing farmers’ protest against the BJP-led government in UP.

Farmers have been on a protest for the past six days, demanding hiked land compensation and settlement of their abadi land issues in 81 villages of Noida.

Before joining protesters outside the Noida authority’s office in Sector 6, Singh addressed a press conference on the party’s strategy for UP.

He said the strategy is to strengthen the organisation ahead of the 2022 state assembly elections.

“Twelve of our Delhi MLAs are native to UP and the party will use them to reach out to the people of the state. We have won Delhi elections on the development plank and these 12 MLAs and party volunteers will reach out to the people with the development model of Arvind Kejriwal,” Singh said.

AAP already has an active organisational structure in 55 of 75 districts of UP. The party aims to appoint office-bearers in all districts and reach out to people in all 403 assembly constituencies ahead of the 2022 polls, a senior party leader said.

AAP is also scheduled to hold its state-level executive committee meeting in Lucknow on February 23. It will also kick start a month-long membership drive from February 23 to March 23,and will invite people from all walks of life to join the party fold, senior leaders said.

“Our job will be to explain to the people the Kejriwal model of development, which helped us win Delhi,” Singh said. The Kejriwal model, a senior leader said, is to provide free electricity, water, quality education, medication, and pilgrimage. “We also provided ₹1 crore ex gratia to families of martyred soldiers and ₹50,000 package for per hectare of damaged crop, among other benefits,” the leader said.

On being asked whether the party will field candidates in all 403 seats in the 2022 assembly elections, Singh said, “This decision will be taken by the central leadership.”

On the issue of Shaheen Bagh, where a protest is ongoing against the amended citizenship act for the past two months, Singh said, “The Shaheen Bagh protest is against the Centre. Hence, it is the central government that needs to address their issues. Our job in Delhi is confined to water, electricity, education and health.”

Political analysts, however, are sceptical about AAP’s chances in UP. Dr Vivek Mishra, assistant professor with political science department of Gautam Buddha University, said, “Replicating the Delhi model of free electricity, water and other basic facilities will not be easy in a big state like Uttar Pradesh. Development model lures voters, no doubt, but the BJP government is already riding this wave. That party won the UP elections on the plank of providing corruption-free and better governance. Defeating the BJP in UP will not be as easy as it was in Delhi.”

The BJP said AAP will not be able to compete and win in UP.

“AAP will not be a threat at all in UP because our government, in the budget this time, gave details as to how we will double the income of farmers. If AAP fights state elections, then it will benefit BJP because it will eat into the vote share of our rival parties. Our government is already providing financial help to farmers, including a crop damage coverage,” senior BJP leader and MP Surendra Nagar said.