India / AAP to contest all seats in upcoming Gujarat local body elections

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday said that it will contest all seats in the upcoming local bodies polls in Gujarat. The party also announced the first list of 504 candidates.

Party spokesperson Atishi released the first list of candidates for the elections to the local bodies in the state. AAP also invited people to share their remarks regarding the list and said that the party will "keep the seat vacant but not support a corrupt candidate".

"AAP will contest elections on all seats in the local bodies polls in the state for the first time. With this, the party will enter the electoral politics of Gujarat as a strong alternative to the BJP. AAP will work to remove the BJP from power," she said.

"Not just the local bodies polls, but AAP will also contest the Vidhan Sabha elections in Gujarat as well as other polls. People of Gujarat want an alternative," Atishi added.

She claimed that it is on the demand of the people of Gujarat that AAP is entering the electoral politics in the state.

Atishi accused the BJP of playing the politics of intimidation and allurement.

"If there is a leader in the country who is not scared of the BJP, it is Arvind Kejriwal. And if there is one party that the BJP cannot scare or allure, then it is AAP... We, the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal, will continue our fight for truth," she said.

The list is being announced weeks in advance as the candidates need to conduct door-to-door campaign, she added

The AAP leader said the party has also opened an email address for the people to register their complaints, if they have any, against the candidates.

Assembly elections in four states

The announcement came after the party said that it will contest the next Assembly elections in four states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa.

While, Raghav Chaddha, vice chairman of Delhi Jal Board, has been given the charge of Punjab, Kalkaji MLA Atishi will take care of the party's political ambition in Gujarat.

Sanjeev Jha, in-charge of Bihar and a lawyer from Burari, Delhi, will start his work in the state from the first week of January.

AAP has also appointed in-charges in 65 districts of Uttar Pradesh. This preparation is being done to contest the Panchayat elections. Delhi Chief Minister and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal himself has announced preparations to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Talking about party's groundwork, Kejriwal said UP has been held back from progress and development because of "dirty politics" and "corrupt" politicians in the state.

"UP politics lacks good intent, which the AAP can bring in," the Delhi CM said as he asked voters to give one chance to his party. "I assure you that Uttar Pradesh people will forget all other parties," Kejriwal added.