Aiming Punjab, AAP appoints Raghav Chadha as party co-in-charge

With Punjab on the boil over the controversial farm laws, the main opposition party in the state AAP is planning to increase its organisational imprint by appointing Delhi MLA Raghav Chadha as party co-in-charge.

The appointment of the 32-year-old Delhi MLA, announced by AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, also comes against the backdrop of AAP taking early steps to face the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls where the party aims to dethrone the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government.

AAP, which has emerged as the second-largest party in Punjab, feels that it has a legitimate claim to become the ruling party with the Akali Dal on the backfoot. The Akali Dal has also come out of the BJP-led NDA over the farm laws while the AAP, as well as Congress, are supporting the protesting farmers.

"It is my honour to be given such an important position at such a young age by Arvind Kejriwal-ji," Chadha, who will be working with AAP in-charge (Punjab) Jarnail Singh, said.

AAP's national spokesperson and Delhi Jal Board Vice-Chairperson, he said AAP's aim is to make Punjab a "truly prosperous and golden state".

"India is an agrarian country and whenever it comes to agriculture Punjab stands at the forefront. As co-in-charge of the Party’s Punjab Unit, our focus will be to make Punjab a truly prosperous and golden state," he said.

He said the state is going through challenging times. "It pains me to see how the youth of Punjab is spoiling its future by getting sucked into the vicious cycle of drugs and unemployment. Farmers have been facing severe problems as well. I take it as my personal responsibility to change these circumstances, and am certain the AAP in Punjab will succeed in making the State green, happy and prosperous," he added.

Kejriwal said Chadha has a keen grasp on the ground issues of Punjab and ably put forward the AAP's views on several important issues, including the current burning issue of the three farm bills.

"The AAP is hopeful of Chadha’s immense organizational capability to carry forward the party’s ideals in Punjab. The ordinary citizen in Punjab is tired and angry with the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal. Each of these parties has together cheated innocent farmers. In such a precarious situation, the presence of Chadha is expected to increase the confidence of AAP Punjab unit manifold," he said.