Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: Giving up the impression of being a minor player in Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is quietly preparing the ground that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paved for itself years ago. Mehsana serves as an example about how Arvind Kejriwal plans to breach the BJP citadel by using a tactic akin to the saffron camp’s mantra to electoral success.
In his Tiranga yatra on Monday, Kejriwal dared the state BJP chief CR Patil to name him as ‘maha-thug’ and quickly reminded the people of the honest works that he has done for Delhi. The AAP convener clearly put up the Delhi model against the BJP’s Gujarat model of development.
The BJP’s model had the brand name of Narendra Modi. The party draws its strength from the booth-level management that percolates down to all villages. AAP is trying to brand itself with Kejriwal, a well-known national leader who exploited the pent-up anger among voters of Punjab, resulting in the massive defeats of all mainstream parties in the February polls.
The AAP has dug in its heels against the formidable BJP in several ways. The BJP has formed a page committee to reach every corner of Gujarat. AAP is organizing village meetings (Gamdu Bethaks). Such panels formed by BJP do a good job by connecting people with the party. The village meetings of AAP bring the people of the city and the village together in one place to unite them with the party.
On the development front, AAP is countering the BJP government’s development model with that of Delhi on education and employment. While the BJP is seeking votes for developing roads, providing drinking water and other beneficiary schemes. AAP promises to provide free electricity and bus passes to workers and employment to the youth based on the Delhi model. BJP is using the slogan of Lok Sabha 2014 “Abki baar Modi sarkar” for 2022 Assembly elections, while AAP slogan is ‘Me mauko Kejriwal ne” (one chance to Kejriwal).
Head to head
AAP is asking for votes in the name of the development model of Delhi, promoting the development work done by Arvind Kejriwal in the field of health, education, and employment in the national capital
