New Delhi, Feb 12: Buoyed by the Aam Aadmi Party's stellar performance in the Delhi Assembly elections, the Maharashtra unit of the party has decided to fight all forthcoming local elections, including the Mumbai elections.
The AAP’s Bengaluru unit will also contest the municipal corporation polls likely to take place in August or September.
AAP National Executive Member Preeti Sharma Menon said the party will try to “replicate the Delhi model of pragmatism, performance, and people centric policies”.
“We are sure that Maharashtra will shower us with the same faith and love as Delhi has done so,” she said.
The party has decided to field candidates in all the 198 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
"We have been planning to contest the BBMP election when we received a major shot in the arm. The Delhi victory happened because of the good work, which we want to replicate here," AAP's co-convener in Karnataka and party's BBMP campaign in charge Shanthala Damle told PTI on Tuesday.
Born out of an anti-corruption movement, the AAP led by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal registered the second landslide victory by winning 63 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections.
According to Damle, AAP in Bengaluru was working in full swing to make its presence felt in the city. "The party has already done its ground workin terms of election campaign and reaching out to the people in Bengaluru," she added.
According to her, the party has already opened around 10 offices and about 50 people have been announced as the assembly president or ward president.
Last month, the party launched a 40-minute movie called 'Hosa Bengaluru' (New Bengaluru) and conducted 50 shows already.
"It shows the Delhi model and explains what can be done in Bengaluru. So that is part of our vision," the AAP leader said.
In its next level of the campaign, AAP intends to conduct 'Jana Samvada' (Dialogue with people) in every street and in every ward.
The preparedness of the party can be gauged from the fact that it has identified many of its candidates for the BBMP elections.
The party has never tasted success in Karnataka anywhere but the Delhi's success story has kindled a new hope as many people would now be waiting to join the AAP, Damle said. The AAP cadres in Bengaluru burst into celebration soon after it became clear that the party was going to script history by forming government for the third consecutive time since its inception.
Sporting their signature caps, party workers lit crackers, danced on the Delhi election song 'Lage Raho Kejriwal'.
Comments
An Indian Haj subsidy that did not exist!
Thank you Prime Minister Modi for ending Haj subsidy that never existed.
I completely welcome this move making the announcement, minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “We believe in empowerment without appeasement.”Naqvi did not elaborate what he meant by “appeasement” but for decades, Haj subsidy remained a whip in the hands of right-wing parties to attack political rivals. Bharatiya Janata Party to embarrass rivals by accusing them of “appeasing” Muslims by subsiding expenses involved in the pilgrimage to Makkah and Madina. Angered by this attack, several Muslims have been demanding an end to the subsidy.
However, it is important to understand what this subsidy was and whether Muslims actually benefitted from it. In 2016-17, the government budgeted Rs 4.5 billion subsidy for around 100,000 Muslims who performed Haj last year. Each pilgrim paid around Rs 220,000 (amount varies each year) for airfare; stay in Makkah and Madina and for miscellaneous expenses. This money is paid to government-managed Haj committees which then transfers this money to other agencies. In other words, each Muslim pays for his/her own Haj expenses.
A significant chunk of money paid by Muslims goes to India’s government-owned national carrier Air India which enjoys a virtual monopoly on Haj circuit. The airline picks up passengers from around a dozen cities and flies them to Jeddah. The Air India inflates India-Jeddah tickets during the Haj season. This so-called government subsidy is used to pay for tickets that are always higher than the prevailing airfare charged by other airlines. A breakdown would show that an Air India ticket to Jeddah would cost more than a trip to Los Angeles from India. Essentially, the government takes money from one pocket and puts it back in another. Muslim have always demanded global tenders for Haj flights and for providing accommodation in Makkah and Madina..
However, while Naqvi sought to take a high moral ground by claiming that his party appeases no section of the society, his own government spends billions of rupees on organizing Hindu pilgrimages every year
Naqvi saab, this is what you learnt in Madrasa? U r Back-Stabbing Muslims. There is no 1% quality of muslim in you. After joining BJP you have lost it. First learn humanity. Almighty will give answers for all problems you have created for others.
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