How AAP plans to target Bihar, UP for 2014 LS polls

Even as the Aam Aadmi Party gets ready to be sworn in to form the government in Delhi, the party workers have their energies equally focused on the upcoming Lok Sabha Election in 2014. Keeping the same in mind, the party seems to have completed a recce of the a handful of states in central and northern India. Having taken stock of the poll issues in these states, the party is mostly likely to now focus exclusively on the Bimaru states - the ones reeling under poverty, caste violence, corruption and administrative failure. "In Bihar, we found that people are very eager to join the party. Not only are they prospective voters, they are even willing to work as grassroots cadres," said a party insider who has been overseeing the support mobilization process in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Arvind Kejriwal. AFP. 

According to experts too, states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - crippled by a combination of issues like unemployment, communal unrest and a declining standards of living - are ideal for the AAP as it tries expanding its base. "People in Bihar have and UP have only seen corruption and muscle-flexing by political leaders. AAP will come as a breath of fresh air to these people who have the BJP, RJD, SP or BSP as options," says Hari Vash and senior journalist, political analyst and editor of a national daily. AAP seems to have zeroed in on the most economically and socially deprived section of voters in the said states. "In Bihar, we will be focusing on 14,000 villages where the population is less that 200. Hardly any development has taken place in theses villages. We will try take them along in our stride," says the AAP source. 

The party also has its sights set on the the tribal belt in the Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh. "The district convenor in Sonbhadra is a tribal himself," he adds. AAP insiders admit that their party would have already created a stronger support base in these areas had the recognized leaders like Kejriwal himself got a chance to campaign. However, they are busy making amends and a campaign will kick off soon. "Sanjay Singh and Pankaj Gupta, two of our national leaders will head a committee to set up a strategy for the sates in the upcoming election. And very soon the leaders will start travelling in these states outside Delhi," said Yogendra Yadav of AAP. 

Even though AAP has declared that it is yet to finalise a strategy for the general elections, the party seems to have started making inroads and an impact already. For instance, in Bihar, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad recently created a stir when he said that his party will not give a ticket to one of its ally's candidates as she is the wife of a muscleman. "This incident definitely shows that the political discourse is changing. And the political parties are also stressing on the clean politics factor," says SK Tyagi of JD(U), who claims that the AAP effect will barely dent their vote-bank. "Bihar is not Delhi. There are caste dynamics and communal issues that need to be considered. It will be difficult for AAP to repeat what they did in Delhi, in Bihar," he said.

Source : FP

Big winners and losers in Delhi: AAP loses 15 seats by less than 5,000 votes

Delhi has never seen an election like the 2013 one in which some of the most famous faces of Delhi have been humbled by unknown candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal has proved his might by defeating the most powerful Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by more than 26,000 votes in New Delhi constituency.

At least 15 AAP candidates have lost their seats by less than 5,000 votes depriving the party of creating history by coming to power. Out of 15 candidates, many AAP candidates have lost their seats by less than 2000-3000 votes.

The longest serving elected representative in Delhi, Chaudhury Prem Singh also lost his Ambedkar Nagar seat after almost 60 years. He had won his first election in mid-1950s. He came third in his bastion which has been won by AAP's Ashok Kumar.

The longest serving elected representative in Delhi, Chaudhury Prem Singh lost his Ambedkar Nagar seat after almost 60 years.

Former Speaker and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Subhash Chopra lost from Kalkaji. Senior ministers in the Sheila Dikshit government Raj Kumar Chauhan from Mangol Puri, Dr. Yoganand Shastri from Mehrauli, Rama Kant Goswami from Rajinder Nagar, Dr. Kiran Walia from Malaviya Nagar have lost, sending shock waves across the Congress.

Two young Congress candidates with the National Students Union of India (NSUI) background Ragini Nayak from Janakpuri and Amrita Dhawan from Tilak Nagar have also lost.

One of the best known faces of the AAP and former television journalist Shazia Ilmi lost RK Puram seat by a mere 318 votes. Her brother Rashid Ilmi, who had contested against Shazia got just 99 votes.

BJP's chief ministerial candidate Dr. Harsh Vardhan won by over 43,000 votes in Krishna Nagar. Ministers in the Sheila government Arvinder Singh Lovely from Gandhi Nagar and Haroon Yousuf from Ballimaran have managed to win after a tough fight.

Senior MLA and former deputy speaker Shoib Iqbal retained his Matia Mahal seat for the 5th straight term. This time he contested on the JDU ticket.

The lone Independent candidate who managed to win is Rambir Shokeen from Mundka. Since the BJP does not have a clear majority in the Assembly, he is likely to hit the jackpot. Journalist-turned-AAP leader Manish Sisodia won from Patparganj. Anil Kumar Jha of the BJP has won by the biggest margin of over 49,000 votes in Kirari.

Source: IBN