AAP gears up for 2027 Himachal polls, eyes alternative to BJP, Cong

AAP is preparing to contest the 2027 Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, says state in-charge Rituraj Jha. The party aims to be an alternative to BJP and Congress, citing their failure to deliver on promises. Arvind Kejriwal is expected to visit Shimla.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rituraj Jha on Tuesday said the party was preparing to contest the 2027 Assembly elections in the state, asserting that it was strengthening its organisation from the grassroots and aiming to emerge as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress.

Kejriwal to Outline Future Strategy

Speaking to the media after inaugurating the party’s new state office at Bawa Complex near the 7/11 Complex on Lower Mall in Shimla, Jha said AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal was expected to visit the state capital around November 15 to outline the party’s future strategy. He said seven to eight leaders were also expected to join the party during the visit.

AAP Slams BJP and Congress 'Politics of Loot'

“The people of Himachal Pradesh are fed up with both the BJP and the Congress. They vote for one party and then the other, but, according to us, both parties practise politics centred on loot. They have failed to fulfil their promises, whether it is building good schools, providing Rs 1,500 to women, offering 300 units of free electricity or generating employment for the youth,” Jha said.

He claimed that AAP had delivered on its promises in Punjab and said the party wanted to replicate what it described as its governance model in Himachal Pradesh. “Aam Aadmi Party believes in the politics of work, while the BJP and Congress are engaged in the politics of loot. People in Himachal Pradesh want an alternative and we are preparing to provide them one,” he said.

Focus on Organisational Expansion

Jha said the party had been working on organisational expansion for the past year and was mapping potential leaders while strengthening its network at the grassroots level. “Our organisation will be built from the booth level to the state level over the next three to four months. We are preparing comprehensively for the Assembly elections scheduled in about a year,” he said.

He said more than 20,000 new members had joined AAP across Himachal Pradesh, adding that membership drives were underway in more than 50 Assembly constituencies. The party has set a target of enrolling at least five lakh new members, he added.

Jha said Kejriwal’s proposed visit to Shimla was tentatively scheduled for around November 15, though the date could change by a few days. “Arvind Kejriwal ji will hold a press conference in Shimla, and seven to eight leaders will join the party. That is a surprise for you, and you will find out on that day,” he said.

Holding Incumbent Government Accountable

He asserted that AAP would intensify its political activities in the state over the coming year and raise issues concerning the public while holding the Congress government accountable for its promises. “We gave the government time to fulfil the promises made to the people. More than four years have passed, but the promises have not been fulfilled. AAP will now take to the streets and demand answers from the government,” Jha said.

Reflecting on 2022 Performance

Referring to the previous Assembly elections, Jha said AAP had been unable to sustain its campaign in Himachal Pradesh in 2022 because, according to him, the arrest of its senior leaders disrupted the party’s organisational activities. “We were victims of circumstances last time. Our leaders were put in jail and the entire organisational effort was disrupted. We had to step back. Now our leaders are out, and we are preparing to contest the 2027 elections with full strength,” he said.

Jha referred to the cases involving AAP leaders and claimed that the party’s political opponents had attempted to weaken its activities through legal action. He also cited a recent Supreme Court intervention in a case involving a Punjab leader, arguing that the public and the judiciary had become aware of what he described as such political tactics.

Campaign to Focus on 'Politics of Work'

He said AAP would focus its campaign on governance and public issues, adding that the party’s leadership and election symbol were already familiar to voters. “Aam Aadmi Party’s politics of work is what people appreciate. We are working on the organisation and preparing for the elections. In the coming year, we will be visible on every public issue,” he said.

Jha expressed confidence that the party would expand its presence in Himachal Pradesh and said its immediate priorities were organisational consolidation, membership expansion and the identification of leaders ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)