Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 3
The Aam Aadmi Party will find the going tough during the Assembly elections scheduled early next year, without declaring its chief ministerial candidate soon.
Even though the party has gained strength from the last Parliamentary elections of 2019, with many prominent Congress and Akali Dal leaders joining them, it will definitely need the charisma of a known Punjabi leader as the party’s face to help it sail through.
Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has already announced that a Sikh face will be the party’s CM candidate. The question now being asked is who that face will be. Many in the party believe that one of the main reasons for the “much-below expectations” results of the party in the 2017 polls was that the CM candidate had not been announced.
What is also baffling several MLAs and other leaders in the party is the continued “overlooking of the already established and known party leaders” by the party high command. This is not just in reference to Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, who is also in charge of the state unit, but also for the halqa in charges of various constituencies. Recently, a number of newly inducted leaders in the party have been made halqa in charges, which has created some heartburn among them.
Mann was the only AAP MP elected in 2019 elections. Even as he remains the most popular face who connects with the masses, the party has given a clear hint that they are on the lookout for a CM face. A party MLA, requesting anonymity, said Mann’s candidature has not been rejected, but the CM candidate will be announced in the coming days.
“We had raised the issue at the meeting with the party high command in Delhi on Sunday, and he assured that this will be done well in time before the next election,” he said.
The MLAs were also briefed about multiple surveys, which have pointed out that the party faces the best electoral prospects in Malwa region. The party has also started putting its weight behind MLAs who have maintained a clean image.
Many in the party also feel that the direct control of Delhi on all local affairs is proving to be a disadvantage.
Not naming CM face may hurt AAP in Punjab
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