Unprepared, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday decided not to contest the ensuing civic body elections in Punjab. The party, in its high level meeting of State leaders led by State convenor Sucha Singh Chhottepur with national convener Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, has taken a decision to let go the municipal elections, and focus on its ‘Mission 2017’ in Punjab.
In a volte-face from its previous stand of contesting municipal elections from all seats, AAP cited "less time to prepare for the polls" as a reason to back-out from the contest - a decision that may come as a breather for the ruling SAD-BJP combine, and also for the Congress. AAP had sent alarm bells ringing in the camps of both SAD-BJP combine and the Congress after making an impressive entry in Punjab’s political scene - the only State in the entire country from where four of its candidates emerged victorious during 2014 parliamentary polls, as it drew a blank in other States, including Delhi.
The party, since then, has been trying frantically not just to project itself as people’s choice in the State, but as an alternative to the Congress and the BJP along with its allies. However, its hopes of emerging as a viable political option in the State dashed to the ground after state electorate gave mandate against its two candidates during by-elections to Patiala and Talwandi Sabo assembly segments in 2014. Both of its candidates not only faced defeat but also lost their security deposits.
The six municipal corporations and around 123 municipal councils and nagar panchayats are going for polls in the State on February 22 and 26 respectively, the process of which has already begun. AAP maintained that with little time in hand, it would not be possible for the party to contest polls and select good and “honest candidates” as the party leaders from Punjab and other volunteers were busy with the Delhi assembly elections, held on February 7.
Available information suggests that most of the party’s district units had also expressed their apprehensions of not being fully prepared to contest the elections. The party has also accused the SAD-BJP led Punjab Government for “timing the election to coincide with Delhi election”. “Since there is hardly any time to select candidates, and as per policy, AAP need to field candidates with clean and honest record, AAP has decided not to contest the elections to local bodies,” AAP’s State convener Chhottepur stated, in party’s official statement issued after the meeting.
He said that AAP would contest the next assembly elections in Punjab, scheduled to be held sometime in 2017, and “will give the people of Punjab a fair, honest and corruption free governance which is much needed to free Punjab from drug menace, corruption and bring about much-needed development of infrastructure, public amenities, education and employment of youth”.
lashing at the SAD-BJP combine, he said: “Punjab Government has made a mockery of the democratic setup at the local body level, first by delaying the local bodies elections by one year even when there is no provision in the Constitution to extend the term of local bodies or hold local bodies under suspended animation.”
“Announcing elections to the local bodies immediately after Delhi legislative assembly elections is also not correct as Punjab Government and Punjab State Election Commission knew that the workers and leaders of Aam Aadmi Party from Punjab are busy with the Delhi Elections,” read the statement.