PUDUCHERRY: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will contest all the seats in the forthcoming local body elections in Puducherry to be held for five municipalities and 10 commune panchayats in three phases from October 21, said Somnath Bharti who is in charge of the party in Puducherry.
The AAP would fight the elections along with democratic forces and like-minded parties with the objective of providing an honest, corruption-free grassroots democracy and a decentralized local government system, he told a press conference on Thursday.
The Union territory has been reeling under irreversible debt and interest for more than 20 years as a result of mismanagement by successive governments. The essential needs of the people such as quality roads, drinking water, sanitation and fair price shops are lacking, he said. There are 14 types of basic needs, including medical care and employment, that are not available to the public, he added.
Citing the governance by the AAP government in Delhi led by Arvind Kejriwal, Bharati said that its policies are based on the welfare of the people. Quality education, medical facilities and transport could be provided to people if a AAP government comes to power, he said, adding that the party is planning to contest the next Assembly election too. Contesting in the local body election will bring the people in direct contact with the party and its policies, he said.
AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will undertake an election campaign in Puducherry for the local body elections.