NEW DELHI: Armed with successful experiments of ‘Mohalla Clinics’ and robust primary education system in government schools in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party is now looking to expand its reach by contesting polls in Uttarakhand. The Assembly election in the hilly state is slated to be held in February 2022.
“The people of Uttarakhand have lost hope in all other parties. They want AAP to fight elections in the state,” AAP National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.
Dinesh Mohaniya, the Uttarakhand state in-charge, said that the party’s campaign will be focused around the ‘Delhi Model’ of governance and the achievements of Kejriwal government.
“In Uttarakhand’s remote villages, a sick person has to be taken almost 20 kms to get basic medical attention. We want to change this system. Primary healthcare will be taken to each village. There is a huge problem of jobs in the state, so AAP will go among the people and find out specific issues and their solutions,” said Mohaniya.
However, it remains to be seen how much impact AAP can have in the state, also known as Dev Bhoomi i.e. the land of Gods. The state is geographically and demographically different from Delhi.
Since its creation in 2000, it has voted for either the Congress or the BJP and no regional party exists in the state currently.
However, AAP is banking on the word of mouth from capital’s almost 20 lakh ‘Pahari’ migrants to take on the current Trivendra Singh Rawat-led BJP government.
“Around 20 lakh people from Uttarakhand live in Delhi. Why? It’s because of better job opportunities. The Kejriwal government has shown the way on how to come up with new ideas to provide employment, healthcare and top class education in government schools. People do not have access to good education and health in Uttarakhand. These will be our priorities.” added Mohaniya, MLA from Sangam Vihar in Delhi. AAP is trying to expand its base and emerge as a viable alternative to people.
AAP is planning to reach out to every village in the country via ‘Oxi Mitras’ who will distribute Oxygen meters to help in the fight against the pandemic.
AAP in Uttarakhand
In 2014, AAP had contested all five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand. It didn’t fight the 2017 Assembly polls and finished third in Dehradun mayoral election next year.