The Chhattisgarh unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has received around 50 applications who have expressed their interest in contesting from lok Sabha seats in the State.
“We have filtered applications of 30 candidates from the 50 nomination forms that we received,” said State Organiser of AAP Sanket Thakur on Tuesday in a press conference. A screening committee of 18 members from the state and three members from Delhi will begin to interview the selected candidates.
After a spectacular victory of AAP in Delhi Assembly elections, the party is planning to contest in the lok Sabha elections this year. The agenda of the party remains unchanged for the state - eradication of corruption.
Pointing a finger at Chief Minister Raman Singh, member of the party Umaprakash Ojha said that Chhattisgarh’s CM has acted like a CM only for a numbered regions in the state. “The development, which the Raman Singh-led government boasts about, is only seen in a few districts. Most of the districts are languishing in poverty and backwardness,” Ojha said.
Taking a pot shot at both Congress and BJP, the party members said that both the political parties are allegedly working hand in glove to nurture the Naxalism in the state. “From corporators to ministers, everyone is aware of the movements of Naxal commanders and are capable enough to nab them but they do not do so,” said Ojha.
Even after the AAP faced acute criticism from media and public in Delhi, the members of state unit of the party maintained that voters in Chhattisgarh have immense faith in the party. “Under the ongoing pan-India ‘Jhaadu Chalao Yojna’, we are getting overwhelming support from the people of the state,” said Thakur adding that there has been no negative impact on the party’s image in the state after the resignation of former Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal.