The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), buoyed by its landslide victory in the Punjab Assembly elections, is gearing up to test the waters in Jammu and Kashmir politics, with much-anticipated Assembly elections in the Union Territory expected before the end of the year.Â
According to reports, two former J&K Panthers Party MLAs, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpal Kundal, as well as DDC member Taranjit Singh Tony and former Congress politician Surinder Singh Singari, have joined Arvind Kejriwal‘s party.Â
In the DDC election in the Suchetgarh constituency in 2020, Tony defeated former BJP minister Sham Lal Choudhary.Â
While Mankotia and Kundal were flying to New Delhi on Thursday, images of Harshdev Singh, a former MLA and the Panthers’ president, with Delhi deputy CM and key AAP leader Manish Sisodia surfaced on social media.Â
Several politicians, former bureaucrats, and social activists from J&K have been in contact with the AAP leadership in Delhi, and more are expected to join in the coming weeks, according to sources.Â
Political analysts predict that, while “Modi magic” may help the BJP win, the AAP may emerge victorious.Â
During the Assembly elections in J&K, there were some surprises and upsets to “pre-conceived” political equations.Â
In Jammu, the AAP might derail the plans of numerous “heavyweights” and an “overconfident” BJP. While the Kejriwal-led party has a potential to make an influence in the area, it also has a chance to make an impact in Kashmir.Â
Co-InCharge of the AAP in J&K Salahuddin Khan stated that their strategy for J&K is the same as for the rest of the country, and that nothing is hidden.Â
“We intend to compete for all 90 seats and have already begun our preparations. We are focusing on J&K with our limited resources, similar to Delhi and Punjab, but we work hard on the ground “He went on to say that once the elections are announced, AAP will stage rallies in both Kashmir and Jammu and go full throttle.Â
Khan stated that after the delimitation of the state is completed, Kejriwal and other top party leaders will address rallies in MK. The election commission declares the polls after the assembly seats are filled.Â
The BJP’s leadership, on the other hand, maintains that the AAP’s admission will have no effect on the party’s electoral prospects. Tarun Chugh, the BJP’s national general secretary, made an oblique dig at the AAP, saying, “On the other hand, a political party that made a contentious statement about The Kashmir Files recently announced a complete penetration programme in J&K. The people of Punjab and Delhi have been duped by this political party.”
Published By :- Shubham Agarwal
