NEW DELHI: Unlike the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will likely replace several of its MLAs and give fresh faces and new joiners a chance in the upcoming Assembly polls scheduled for February next year.
Sources say that sensing anti-incumbency against its several legislators, the party is in no mood to repeat the candidates. Even the ministers may face replacement if they lack strong support in their constituencies.
The party is actively considering inducting former MLAs and popular faces from both BJP and Congress, as the strategy may help mitigate the effects of anti-incumbency to a certain extent.
Secondly, these leaders are expected to attract support from a diverse voter base. Some of the recent addition to the party which are likely to receive tickets, include BB Tyagi from Laxmi Nagar, Anil Jha from Kirari, Sumesh Shokeen from Matiala, Veer Singh Dhingan from Seemapuri, Mateen Ahmed from Seelampur, Braham Singh Tanwar from Chhatarpur.
All these leaders have joined the party in the presence of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. During the induction of Veer Dhingan, the former Delhi chief minister expressed pride in welcoming the future MLA of Seemapuri into the party, indicating that the ticket distribution for this set is now clear.
Additionally, the party is also looking for suitable replacement of candidates from the constituencies from where its MLAs have switched the party. Recently two of its cabinet ministers -- Raaj Kumar Anand and Kailash Gahlot -- have joined the saffron party.
Considering the fact that the opposition parties -- BJP and Congress -- have been making all-out efforts to corner its dispensation which have been enjoying a comfortable majority since 2015 in the national capital over governance issues and have been targeting its representatives in their assembly constituencies.
The AAP has already announced to conduct surveys by taking public feedback from all the 70 assembly segments before announcing tickets.
Clearing the air on the issue, AAP Delhi state convener Gopal Rai recently said that feedback will be taken from the people about the sitting MLAs and the ticket-seekers.
He said that everything will be done according to the directions of AAP chief. The party has been taking major decisions based on public feedback and this time too it will do the same for ticket distribution.
Even Kejriwal, while addressing party workers recently in Kirari, said that there should be no bickering over seats and that everyone should vote as though they are voting for him, and not MLAs.
New joinees who are likely to get the party ticket
Some of the recent addition to the party which are likely to receive tickets, include BB Tyagi from Laxmi Nagar, Anil Jha from Kirari, Sumesh Shokeen from Matiala, Veer Singh Dhingan from Seemapuri, Mateen Ahmed from Seelampur, Braham Singh Tanwar from Chhatarpur. All these leaders have joined the party in presence of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. Additionally, the party is also looking for suitable replacement of candidates from the constituencies.