CHANDIGARH: Aman Arora, Punjab's New and Renewable Energy Minister, has been appointed as the new president of the state unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), replacing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Amansher Singh alias, Sherry Kalsi the MLA from Batala, has been named the vice president.
The announcement was made by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who shared the decision on social media platform X. "Today, I have handed over the responsibility of the party presidency to two of my close associates, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora and MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi. I am confident that both will strengthen the party and take it to new heights in Punjab," Mann wrote.
Arora's appointment as the state party president has been expected for some time. His elevation is seen as part of AAP's strategy to attract Hindu voters, a key demographic currently being courted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With approximately 38 percent of the state's population identifying as Hindu, Arora's leadership is seen as a move to counter the BJP’s growing influence, particularly after the party secured 18 percent of the vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections compared to AAP's 26.2 percent. In contrast, in the 2022 assembly elections, AAP secured 42 percent of the vote share, while the BJP managed only 6.6 percent.
Arora's appointment follows Chief Minister Mann's decision to step down from the party presidency due to his preoccupation with his duties as CM. Mann, who had served as state president since 2019, had previously expressed a desire to relinquish the position, citing the need to focus on his role as the Chief Minister.
The decision was made after a meeting of the AAP Parliamentary Affairs Committee in Delhi, which was held the day after the by-elections to four Punjab assembly seats. Arora, a two-time MLA, is known for his organizational skills and is seen as capable of strengthening the party's grassroots presence. His leadership in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, where he won with the highest margin, further underscores his credibility.
Earlier, AAP had appointed Principal Budh Ram as the working president of the state unit, alongside CM Mann as the state unit chief. However, this arrangement did not wok out apparently.
Sources said that Arora, who is easily approachable by the party workers and leader has been tasked with the responsibility of building the party cadre at the grassroots level.
After being announced as the state unit chief, Aman Arora, coming out of the Chief Minister's residence, said, "The party has entrusted me with a huge responsibility, and I am grateful and honoured. I will work day and night to ensure that the developmental work and other initiatives for the welfare of the people, carried out by the government under CM Mann’s leadership over the past two and a half years, are showcased to the public. Our priority will be to bring the issues of the people to the government's attention and resolve them. With the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal and working as a team with CM Mann, we will take everyone along."
"It is very rare for a party leader to step down from the post of president, as CM Mann had expressed his desire to do some time ago. The party's Political Affairs Committee has now entrusted this responsibility to me and Sherry Kalsi. I want to assure all leaders and workers that we will work as a team and strive to meet their expectations," he said.
When asked about the challenges they face, Arora said, "Challenges are a part of life, not just politics. Opportunities arise from challenges. While our government, like other parties, may carry some negative baggage, the public will vote based on the work we do. You'll see the outcome when the results of the by-elections are announced."
Arora also stated that AAP is prepared for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in the state and will actively campaign in the Delhi Assembly polls.
Amansher Singh, on his appointment as working president, expressed his gratitude to the party leadership.