JOIN USAAP picks Harbhajan Singh, Raghav Chadha for Rajya Sabha seats
AAP on Monday named former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Delhi MLA Raghav Chaddha, Lovely Professional University founder Ashok Mittal, IIT Delhi faculty Sandeep Pathak and industrialist Sanjeev Arora as its candidates for the March 31 Rajya Sabha elections from Punjab, even as it attracted criticism from opponents for its selection.
AAP also announced that it is all set to increase its footprint throughout the country and named new office bearers for nine states.
All the five filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls at the Punjab Assembly. The election is being held as five Rajya Sabha members from Punjab -- Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (Shiromani Akali Dal), Partap Singh Bajwa (Congress), Shwait Malik (BJP), Naresh Gujral (Akali Dal) and Shamsher Singh Dullo (Congress) -- are retiring on April 9.
AAP hopes to bag all the five seats that are becoming vacant in Punjab where it has won 92 out of 117 seats. AAP can easily get four seats and it is banking on second preference votes to ensure that its fifth candidate also wins.
Harbhajan Singh was a former spinner, while Mittal is founder of Phagwara-based Lovely Professional University (LPU), Pathak is Associate Professor at IIT Delhi and Arora is a Ludhiana-based textile businessman. AAP described Pathak as party's Chanakya who was responsible for Punjab victory.
Chadha was the co-incharge of AAP's political affairs in Punjab. He is also sitting MLA from Rajinder Nagar in Delhi and his election to the Rajya Sabha would lead to a bypoll in the national capital.
AAP's selection of four Hindus and a Sikh as candidates has led to some criticism with Congress leader and sitting MLA Sukhpal Khaira saying, "if this list of probable Rajya Sabha candidates by AAP is true, it is most saddening news for Punjab and will be the first discrimination for our state. We will oppose tooth and nail any non-Punjabi being nominated. This is also a joke with AAP workers who have worked for the party."
Akali Dal leader Harcharan Bains also attacked the AAP. "A lot was said about AAP respecting caste and religious sensitivities in cabinet formation. While this criterion is debatable, but if it was applied, then what about AAP's Rajya Sabha faces? Four Hindus, two of them non-Punjabis and one Sikh. No Jatt, no Dalit, no Muslim or Christian," Bains tweeted.
According to the AAP, it is expanding its base in nine states. "AAP has banked upon its experienced leaders to drive its campaigns and expand the party's base in the states it is looking to target now. Several senior leaders with proven track record have been appointed as election in-charges. The party will soon announce its office bearers for other states in the coming few days," a statement said.
Party in-charges and Election in-charges have been appointed for Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan and Telangana.
In strong indications that it would try for an improved performance in Himachal Pradesh, it has named eight leaders. Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain will be election in-charge while Durgesh Pathak will be party in-charge. Ratnesh Gupta, Karamjit Singh Rintu and Kulwant Bath are co-incharges while Satender Tonger will be Organisation Secretary. Bipin Rai will be Secretary to Election in-charge and Deepak Bali will be media in-charge.
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