Finding some solace in Punjab by bagging four seats after scoring nil across the country in the recently-concluded lok Sabha polls, the new-entrant Aam Aadmi Party will start its ‘Mission Punjab’ from Tuesday.
Party’s convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be in Amritsar for a day to thank and “congratulate the people of Punjab” for their support to the party, and “interact with the party’s volunteers and supporters”.
With Kejriwal’s visit, the party would take first step towards party’s reformation that would take its final shape only after the conclusion of the first session of the newly-elected lok Sabha.
“It is just a general visit of Arvind Kejriwal. He is coming here to thank the Punjab’s electors for electing out four leaders to represent the party in the Parliament and raise their issues. He is coming here to congratulate the people of Punjab for their overwhelming support to clean and alternative politics,” AAP leader and party’s spokesperson Prof Manjit Singh told The Pioneer.
He said that the people of the state, hassled by both the ruling SAD-BJP combine and the Congress, acknowledged AAP’s ideology and vision “and shown the acceptance towards an alternative, rather than a mere substitute”.
As Kejriwal’s visit, along with party’s senior leader Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas, would just be an effort to express gratitude to the people of the state, no formal meeting over the party’s restructuring or devising the future strategy has been planned.
“Arvind Kejriwal is visiting the state to get in touch with the people and party’s volunteers and supporters too. An interaction meeting has been scheduled in the afternoon with the party’s volunteers and candidates, where he would get face-to-face with AAP’s supporters here in Punjab, besides rewarding who have done good work including the winning candidates,” comedian-turned-politician and party’s MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann said while talking to The Pioneer.
He maintained that reorganization of AAP’s state unit is on the cards, that would take place after the lok Sabha’s first session would be over.
“Party’s national executive member Manish Sisodia would visit the state for three to four days to have an insight of the state of affairs here. He would meet the party leaders, volunteers, to collect the feedback and eventually setting up the party units at different levels starting from the bottom to the top,” said Mann.
The renowned stand-up comedian stated that the party would start its process of restructuring the party units from the bottom, that is block level up to the state level, including district level party units.
“The entire process would take few weeks to get completed…Sisodia would travel to various parts of Punjab. They will meet the volunteers, members, supporters of the party and take stock of the party’s performance in the state. Restructuring will take place after consultation with volunteers of the state,” said Prof Manjit Singh.
Already, the party has made its intentions clear of making foray into the state politics aiming at the next state assembly polls, that are scheduled to be held after three years. As of now, the party is preparing to contest the state assembly by-polls, expected to be held for Patiala seat, vacated after sitting MlA Capt Amarinder Singh resigned following his election as Amritsar MP.
By-election is also pending for Talwandi Sabo assembly constituency, which has been lying vacant following sitting Congress MlA resigned to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) before lok Sabha polls.
After its dismal performance in the national capital and country, AAP won four seats in Punjab springing a surprise not only to the party, but also to its rivals.
In the just-concluded lok Sabha election, AAP’s candidates trounced heavy weights like Union Minister Preneet Kaur, Capt Amarinder’s wife from Patiala, a party bastion, Congress’ sitting Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla, and sitting Akali MP from Faridkot Pramjit Kaur Gulshan.
AAP garnered 24.4 per cent of the total votes in Punjab and secured a lead in some 33 assembly segments while coming second in 25 others. It bagged two per cent lesser votes than the ruling SAD, which got over 26 per cent votes.
Despite the high vote share of 33 per cent, Congress managed to win only three seats while AAP and SAD have both won four seats each and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged two seats with a vote share of 8.7 per cent.
As per Kejriwal’s schedule, he would reach Amritsar at around 10 am, and would first pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, followed by Jallianwala Bagh, Durgiana Mandir and Ram Tirath.