Local bodies elections in mind, AAP Gujarat unit exhorts citizens to join politics, send details through WhatsApp

At present, the AAP has 13 municipal councillors left in the SMC (Surat Municipal Corporation) out of the 27 elected in the 2021 polls. It also has one councillor in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.

Keeping in mind the upcoming local body elections on around 12,000 seats, AAP state president Isudan Gadhvi and General Secretary Manoj Sorathiya said the people of Gujarat should join politics, take on leadership roles, and contest the elections.

On Wednesday evening, the Surat AAP unit president Dharmesh Bhanderi had made an announcement appealing to the youths of the city who wanted to join politics to send their details to the party’s Surat offices at Varachha and Katargam.

The form, a copy of which has been seen by The Indian Express, has five sections asking for the candidate’s family details; if any member is associated with any political party or was in the past; the aspirant’s intentions if they become a candidate; details of the constituency, including total number of voters, caste equation, number of polling station and booths; and if the person has a team that can help them win the polls.

Sorathiya said: “We have uploaded the PDF form on different platforms on social media and have made an appeal to the youths to come forward, take up leadership roles and contest the elections in their areas. The upcoming local election may take place at the end of the year and we have already started making preparations. We are carrying out a door-to-door membership drive across the state.”

He said: “We are also organising as many as 2,000 public meetings in different districts across the state. As of now, 350 such public meetings have been held. The PDF forms will also be distributed among the public in such meetings and also during the door to-door membership drive. We want more youths to come forward and contest the elections.”

Sorathiya said: “We will continue receiving the forms for the next two months, and later on, we will scrutinise the details mentioned by the applicant. We will also cross-verify the details to ensure we get a clean and hard-working candidate who can lead the party in the assembly constituency or municipal corporation wards.”

Bhanderi, who is also an SMC councillor, said: “Surat has been the luckiest place for the AAP as our party won 27 seats in the 2021 municipal election. Presently, we have 13 councillors in SMC as others have switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In Surat city, the party leaders and workers had been instructed to create awareness among the people. We have made an announcement on Wednesday, and today (Thursday) onwards, we have started receiving the forms through post, personal delivery, and also on WhatsApp (9104918196).”

Bhanderi said the party was open to accepting leaders from the BJP and the Congress in its fold. “There are leaders in the BJP and the Congress in Gujarat who had worked for 30 years but did not get a chance to contest the polls. Despite their vast experience in politics, their dream of becoming elected political leader has not been fulfilled. We welcome such leaders into our party. We need senior, experienced people as well as youths,” he added.

Editor's Choice

‘Misplaced’: India rejects Bangladesh’s allegations of Awami League ‘activities’ in Delhi, Kolkata

Personnel shortage ‘existential threat’ to aviation safety: House panel bats for full autonomy to DGCA

‘Privilege, not a right’: US tightens citizenship rules with new ‘good moral character’ test