AAP announces election in-charge for Haryana unit

Chandigarh [India], February 2 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday appointed a new election in-charge for its Haryana Unit, days after it was dissolved.

The AAP has appointed Sushil Gupta as Gurugram Municipal Corporation Election Incharge, Nirmal Singh as Manesar Municipal Corporation Election Incharge and Ashok Tanwar as Faridabad Election Incharge. Earlier on January 25, the party dissolved its Haryana unit. The AAP’s landslide win in neighbouring Punjab last year triggered a rush of rival political leaders to join the party.

The win in Punjab was seen as the AAP’s first major step towards expanding its base to other states, especially Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. AAP campaigned extensively in Gujarat, ahead of the Assembly elections last year, with AAP convenor Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing the rallies and roadshows. However, the robust campaign failed to translate into votes as the party could win only 5 Assembly seats in the western state.

In April last year, Congress’ former Haryana chief Ashok Tanwar joined the AAP in the national capital, in the presence of Kejriwal. Former Haryana Congress leader Nirmal Singh and his daughter Chitra, too, joined the AAP. Welcoming the father-daughter duo to the AAP, Kejriwal had said all workers of the Haryana Democratic Front, a party led by Nirmal Singh, were welcome to the party.

The Haryana Democratic Party eventually merged with AAP. In May last year, the Delhi Chief Minister visited Haryana and held a rally in Kurukshetra.