Kejriwal unveils split Haryana strategy: AAP to contest Assembly polls solo, LS seats with INDIA

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday declared that his party will contest all the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana on its own, but will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state as a part of the Opposition INDIA alliance.

The Lok Sabha polls are due in April-May while the Haryana Assembly elections are slated for later this year, in October.

Kejriwal’s announcement came days after Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda told The Indian Express that he was not inclined on an alliance with the AAP in the state for the Lok Sabha polls. There are 10 parliamentary seats in the state.

Addressing the “Badlav Jansabha” in Jind, Kejriwal said the AAP would contest all 90 Assembly seats in the state. It would be the first time that the party would contest all the seats. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Kejriwal-led party had contested 46 seats but drew a blank with a vote share of 0.48%.

“The entire state is looking for a big change. Today, people have faith in only one party – AAP,” Kejriwal said.

He claimed that the AAP has the largest organisation in the state with each village having a committee of 15-20 members. “Nearly 1.25 lakh persons have become AAP office-bearers in the state over the past six months. Why did this happen? People are upset with all other parties as they have seen them over the past 75 years,” he said.

Citing the instances of Delhi and Punjab, the AAP chief promised round-the-clock free electricity in Haryana if his party was voted to power. Both Delhi and Punjab are ruled by the AAP.

Kejriwal also slammed the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government over its plans to send 10,000 youths from the state to Israel for