The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is leading in 75 of the total 117 seats in Punjab, giving a setback to the incumbent Congress, Panthik Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress alliance, Punjab’s co-in-charge and Delhi MLA Raghav Chadha. Is. Especially for News18 on the difficult journey of the party in Punjab and whether AAP has reached the national level.
Read also: Punjab Election Result 2022 Live Updates
“Today’s results have shown that Punjab has given a thumbs up to Kejriwal’s model of governance. The people of Punjab have proved that traditional parties, politicians need to practice their traditional dirty politics,” Chadha said, dismissing the previous Congress and SAD governments, which have been ruling the state since 1966.
Chadha said that the people of Punjab are fed up with the Congress and want change. Emphasizing on AAP’s national ambition, Chadha said, “There is no doubt that today’s results have made AAP the fastest growing political party ever in the history of Indian politics. Today we are a national party.” Which is a force at the national level. No other party has achieved this position… Whether to fight Gujarat, Himachal or not is not for AAP, it is for the people of those states to decide. In your state you want or not.
Edited excerpt:
Q: Did you expect this kind of victory?
Answer: Punjab has been longing for change for a long time. It has been 26 years of Congress and 24 years of Akali rule in Punjab since 1966. And over the years the plight of the people of Punjab has gone from bad to worse. Only the financial, social, political status of the leaders running the state or ruling the state has increased, favorably increased manifold. So Punjab was longing for change. Today’s results have shown that Punjab has given a thumbs up to Kejriwal’s model of governance. The people of Punjab have proved that traditional parties, politicians need to remove their traditional dirty politics from their ‘Mahal and Singhson’. They need to be replaced with honest agents of change and this is the epitome of Aam Aadmi Party. This election also shows that elections can be fought and won on a purely positive agenda. Our opponents tried using muscle power and money power, doing dirty campaigns, communalizing the elections but they were not successful. The people of Punjab voted overwhelmingly for change and the Aam Aadmi Party launched a positive campaign.
Question: What was the turning point during the campaign as the Congress was once on the rise?
A: Look, the people of Punjab had made up their mind from day one. Of course, in day to day politics, things change, events happen etc. But it does mean that it affects the choice of the voter. He voted for change. He did not pay heed to the conspiracies of Charanjit Singh Channi. He was completely disillusioned with the Akali Dal and the 150 promises made by Sukhbir Singh Badal were not in accordance with the sentiments of the people. The Delhi model displayed by Arvind Kejriwal sahib has been really accepted, appreciated and accepted. They (people of Punjab) want to see, feel, feel in their state now. And there is no doubt that today’s results have made AAP the fastest growing political party ever in the history of Indian politics. Today we are a national party, a force at the national level. No other party has achieved the position, perception or formidability that AAP has achieved so quickly.
Q: When you were made the co-incharge of Punjab, were you apprehensive about the party’s history in the state? How did you play your role?
A: I want to write a book on this. It cannot be answered in one sentence. Well! I was appointed as the co-in-charge of Punjab in December 2020. I am from Punjab state but I was appointed co-in-charge to get into state politics. I have been working hard for almost a year and a half. I have shed my blood, sweat and tears for this under the leadership of my leader. I am totally overwhelmed that my leader Arvind Kejriwal has shown so much faith in me for giving such a huge responsibility to a political kid and a very young man and an inexperienced person. I probably would not have trusted a young man of 32 or 31 who is in such a critical condition. I would not have done. He has shown immense faith in me and I pray to God to give me immense strength and power to do justice to all the roles and responsibilities that have been assigned to me and live up to his expectations.
Q: What specific responsibilities were assigned to you in Punjab?
A: As co-in-charge, you see virtually everything. Arvind Kejriwal is a very handsome person. He personally oversaw the campaign from start to finish. There are different aspects of a campaign: from outdoor publicity to backroom organization building to holding ‘Jan Sabha’ to outreach programs to putting up hoardings and banners and events and townhalls and selection of candidates. This is a huge process. And we all have managed to do it collectively and it is a teamwork. It is not that I am alone, I can see you the most because I am on camera, this is an army of soldiers that Kejriwal has created and under his leadership we have fought and won this election.
Q: What were the toughest challenges you faced in Punjab?
A: Initially, there was a perception that Majha and Doaba (regions) were weak and AAP has no presence there, even in Malwa, which is the largest region of Punjab. And we have proved that assumption wrong. Today we have done very well in all three areas. Since this was the perception, all of us, and I, in particular, focused a lot on Majha and Deoba regions and strengthened the organization, found the right candidates, gave the right message, campaigned door-to-door, worked hard on the field . , We did all that. Today’s results show that people will get reward for honesty, honesty and hard work. Today I bow before the people of Punjab first and secondly before the workers and volunteers of Aam Aadmi Party.
Question: How important was making Bhagwant Mann the chief ministerial candidate for the success of your campaign?
A: I can say that after the name of our chief ministerial candidate, the campaign, popularity, acceptance, acceptance and probably the vote share of Aam Aadmi Party also increased. Declaring the name of the main wrong candidate is as important as deciding the name of the chief ministerial candidate. Timing is of utmost importance in election campaign. We have realized it and learned that we have been fighting elections for years. And we did it well. That’s all I can say for sure.
Q: Everyone in Punjab says Raghav Chadha will have a role to play after victory. What role do you see for yourself in Punjab?
Question: I was given a job to get the party to contest the Punjab 2022 assembly elections. That was the only job that was assigned to me. I have done that work. And if my party, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann feels that my services are needed in Punjab outside Delhi, then whatever responsibility is given to me, I will try to fulfill it to the best of my ability.
Question: You have never said who you consider to be a big threat while campaigning in Punjab. Was Congress, Akali, Captain Amarinder Singh or BJP united?
A: All. I would be totally wrong to classify any one of them as my prime challenger. All were my main challengers. In fact, his collective group was my major challenger. Because all of them fought the election together, and against the Aam Aadmi Party. They all had tactical sense, they fought as a unit. So, it was Kejriwal vs SAB, Bhagwant Mann vs Punjab in SAB.
Q: What next for AAP?
A: We’ll let you know. I would like to emphasize again that Aam Aadmi Party is the fastest growing political party in the history of independent India. Now we are a national party. We are a national force with whom we trust. In my view, AAP is the natural and national replacement of Congress. And, of course, we will go back to the drawing board and see from which state people aspire to the Aam Aadmi Party. It is not for you to decide whether to fight Gujarat, Himachal or not, it is for the people of those states to decide whether they want AAP in their state or not.
Read minute-by-minute news updates for Uttar Pradesh Election Result 2022, Punjab Election Result 2022, Uttarakhand Election Result 2022, Manipur Election Result 2022And Goa election result 2022,
Click here for seat-wise LIVE result Updates.