Following Punjab rout, AAP emerging as viable option in J&K

Amid simmering discontent against the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit, Aam Admi Party (AAP), bolstered by its landslide victory in the Punjab assembly elections, has been making rapid strides forward in Jammu and Kashmir and started to emerge as another viable option.

Political pundits feel that though “Modi magic” may get the BJP through, AAP may also throw up some surprises and upset “pre-conceived” political equations in Jammu and Kashmir. They feel that AAP may spoil the prospects of many “heavyweights” and an “over-confident” BJP.

The UT is likely to go to assembly polls soon. Once the elections were announced by the Election Commission, AAP decided to field its candidates for all 90 seats.

Talking to HT, AAP’s observer and co-incharge for J&K Salahuddin Khan, said, “Our policy is the same for J&K and nothing is hidden. We plan to contest all 90 seats and have already started preparing. Akin to Delhi and Punjab, we are focusing on J&K within our limited resources, but we do hard work on the ground.” Khan said that AAP will hold rallies in both regions and go full throttle once the elections are announced.

“We are connecting with the people and getting overwhelming response from them. Our plus point is that we don’t have any negativity here. People praise us and now, we have to convert these positive sentiments into votes,” said Khan. He said that the BJP has nothing to offer “except Hindu-Muslim and Pahari-Dogra” politics. “Our agenda is to make lives better for the common people and we will regularise daily wagers in J&K like we did in Punjab,” he said.

The AAP observer said that the Kejriwal-led party is not bothered about NC, PDP, Congress and BJP. “We don’t look into policy and programmes of other parties, because we are concerned about the welfare of the people. Four things are our trademark- augmenting health infrastructure, education reforms, electricity and water. Arvind Kejriwal has a dream that the people get these four facilities free of cost,” he said.

He informed that Kejriwal and other senior leadership of the party will hold rallies in J&K once delimitation panel gets over with its task and EC announces the polls. Khan, however, said, “If the BJP feels they are on a sticky wicket, polls will not be held.”

When asked whether politicians including former ministers and ex-legislators were approaching AAP to join it, he said, “We invite all those who have neat and clean image. It doesn’t matter if they belong to NC, Congress, PDP, Panthers Party and BJP. If they are willing to work and believe in the policies of the AAP, they are welcome into the party”.

Khan said that many politicians, former bureaucrats and social activists were in touch with the AAP and in the next five to 10 days, the developments will unfold.

“Many leaders and prominent personalities are in touch with us. It won’t be apt to name them at this moment. But, without investigation into their credentials and without the consent of party high command, we won’t allow them to join. Further, we are not going to accept any entrants with pre-conditions”, he said, and recalled how AAP relied upon the people’s choice to announce candidates and CM face (Bhagwant Mann) in Punjab.