After the BJP’s decision to go it alone, AJSU, an ally of the ruling dispensation, has planned to contest the municipal elections all over the State highlighting some of the burning issues like increased municipal taxes, electricity bills and shrinking of open space through un-mindful construction.
Party leaders see it as an opportunity to assess their actual mass base at the ground level so that adequate measures could be taken for the next Assembly elections.
“It is for the first time that civil body polls will be contested on party level, hence there is a kind of enthusiasm among the party workers who also see it as an opportunity to gauge their actual support base among the masses,” said Chief Party spokesperson Deosharan Bhagat. Preparations for the same has already been started and the district unit presidents have been asked to start preparations right from the booth level by holding intensive meetings with the people, he added.
“Probable list of candidates of their areas have also been sought from them so that a final decision could be taken after considering each and every candidate separately,” said Bhagat. A central level meeting will also be called very soon to decide over the issues to be highlighted during the elections and also the candidates, he added.
Party’s central spokesperson Vinay Bharat said that the party has already launched a campaign to contact the masses through public meetings all over the State at the ground level.
“Some of the sensitive issues related to the masses like increased Municipal taxes, electricity charges, privatization of HEC, unmindful construction, shrinking catchment areas of ponds and rivers by constructing parks and other concrete structures on them etc will be raised during the civic polls,” said Bharat. People are being overburdened through multi-layer taxation, while getting fewer facilities, he added.
“AJSU wants to minimize the taxes to a reasonable level and provide more civic amenities while maintaining the ecological balance of the surroundings as well,” said Bharat. AJSU will contest all seats without any alliance with any other party, he added.
When asked about the possibility with getting into alliance with the BJP, Bharat said that AJSU has been not dependent on any other party. Rather the BJP had been dependent on it for votes in the rural and distant areas, he added.
“We have confidence in our workers and the support base we enjoy among the masses all over the State,” said Bharat.