AAP Gujarat announces plan to contest all 12,000 seats in local body elections

The Aam Aadmi Party’s Gujarat unit has announced that it plans to contest all 12,000 seats in the upcoming local self-government elections in the state, including those for municipalities, taluka panchayats, district panchayats and municipal corporations.

The announcement was made during a press conference organised by the party’s state election committee under the chairmanship of state president Isudan Gadhvi.

Several party leaders were present at the press conference, including MLAs Gopal Italia and Chaitar Vasava, state organisation general secretary Manoj Sorathiya, general secretary Rakesh Hirpara, national joint secretary Raju Solanki, frontal organisation state president Pravin Ram and frontal organisation state general secretary Samat Gadhvi.

Speaking at the briefing, Gadhvi said the party has divided the state into seven zones for election preparations and has formed zone-level election committees in each zone. According to him, each committee includes a zone president, central zone president, observer and assembly in-charges.

He said these teams conducted interviews of prospective candidates from constituencies under 26 Lok Sabha seats between the 10th and 15th.

Gadhvi added that discussions have now begun regarding candidates under A-grade, B-grade and C-grade categories. The state election committee will hold discussions from the 16th to the 18th on the names received from the different zones.

He said that the party will announce its candidates after the completion of these discussions.

Gadhvi also stated that the party will contest all seats in municipalities, taluka panchayats, district panchayats and municipal corporations. He said many people have expressed interest in joining the party and contesting elections, adding that the party has adopted what he described as an “Open to All” system for candidate selection.

According to him, applications have been received from social workers, political leaders and party workers, and discussions will also be held regarding these candidates.

He further said the candidate screening process will continue for three days, after which the first list of candidates will be announced.

During the press conference, Gadhvi also referred to the by-election for the Umreth Assembly seat, which became vacant following the death of the sitting MLA. He said the party will hold discussions with state and national leadership before taking a decision regarding the by-election.