AAP to contest all 12,000 seats in Gujarat local body polls

Gandhinagar: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday announced that it will contest all 12,000 seats in the upcoming local self-government elections in Gujarat.

The first list of candidates is expected to be released after a three-day screening process currently underway. The announcement was made by the party’s Gujarat president, Isudan Gadhvi.

Gadhvi said the party has decided to field candidates in every seat across municipalities, taluka panchayats, district panchayats and municipal corporations in the state.

“In the upcoming local self-government elections, the Aam Aadmi Party has decided to contest all 12,000 seats,” he said.

According to the party, Gujarat has been divided into seven zones for the candidate selection process, with zonal election committees formed in each area. These committees comprise a zone president, central zone president, observers and assembly in-charges tasked with evaluating potential candidates.

Gadhvi said interviews of aspirants from constituencies under the state’s 26 Lok Sabha segments were conducted between March 10 and 15.

Following the interviews, candidates are being categorised into A, B and C grades as part of the screening and assessment process.

“The state election committee will deliberate on the names received from different zones for three days — March 16, 17 and 18. After the screening process, the first list of candidates will be announced shortly,” he said.

He added that the party had received applications from a wide range of individuals, including social workers, political leaders and party workers.

Gadhvi said the party has adopted an “open to all” approach in candidate selection. The party said the tickets will be given to ordinary citizens.

The party also referred to the by-election in the Umreth Assembly constituency, which fell vacant following the recent death of sitting MLA Govind Parmar.

Gadhvi said the party would finalise its strategy for the bypoll after consultations with both the state and national leadership.

“In the elections announced yesterday in five states, the by-election for the Umreth Assembly constituency has also been declared. We will discuss the matter with the state and national leadership before making a decision,” he said.

IANS