NEW DELHI: Following the announcement of candidates by major political parties in the national capital for the Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has started devising strategies for attracting ‘floating’ voters, party sources said on Monday.
The party believes that there is a sizable chunk–around 15-20 per cent– of these voters who play a decisive role during the voting and their votes are a must for winning the elections. The AAP leaders said with the announcement of the Congress list, initiatives will be launched to reach these voters.
One such initiative–”Sankalp Sabha"–a mega outreach campaign will be launched on Tuesday in the four Lok Sabha constituencies where it has fielded its candidates.
Of the seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi, the AAP has fielded four candidates in – East, West, South and New Delhi seats, while Congress, in alliance with AAP, is fighting the polls on three seats. Under the campaign strategy, the AAP mainly targets 15-20 per cent of floating voters in the city. “The party will hold 200 Sankalp Sabha meetings across four Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi to seek the support of people in favour of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is under arrest.
These meetings, to be held in 40 Assembly constituencies, will be attended by senior leaders and ministers of the AAP, said AAP Delhi state Convener Gopal Rai on Monday. Kejriwal, the AAP’s national convenor was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam on March 21. He is under the judicial custody and has been extended till April 23 by a local court. Kejriwal has failed to get any relief from the courts.
The AAP has alleged that the BJP is misusing the central probe agencies to target the opposition and Kejriwal’s arrest is a part of that plan. On the other hand, the BJP has been demanding Kejriwal’s resignation from the chief minister’s post as he is behind the bars.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai will preside over the meetings. Rai will hold the first such meeting in the Vishwas Nagar Assembly constituency under the East Delhi Lok Sabha segment.
Almost a week ago, the party kicked off its “Jail ka Jawab Vote se” campaign from the East Delhi constituency. During the campaign, the party leaders claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest had angered the people of the city. They alleged that the entire Delhi knows that Kejriwal has been put in jail by the BJP under a conspiracy.
Singh appealed to the public to fight against the “dictatorship of the BJP” and support Kejriwal by giving him votes. Since the AAP supremo and two other leaders are in jail, the Rajya Sabha MP will most likely oversee the entire election campaign. Last week, Singh went to Punjab to discuss election strategies with MLAs and ministers.