With 'Haryana ka laal' pitch, AAP hopes Kejriwal's connect with state works

Projecting its national convener Arvind Kejriwal as the son of the soil, the Aam Aadmi Party is hoping to make a mark in the assembly polls in Haryana where it has not tasted any electoral success yet.

With caste equations playing a key role in the electoral success of a political party in Haryana, the AAP is asking people to give it a chance in the assembly polls as they have already given opportunity to all other major political parties.

"Give a chance to Arvind Kejriwal. If he works for the people then vote for him next time, otherwise do not vote for him," AAP's national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak said.

People of Haryana will decide whether they want the same government which is running till now or they want 'badlav' (change), added Pathak, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP.

If people feel they want change, then they will definitely make us win and they will decide how many seats the AAP gets in Haryana, he further said.

"The AAP is the voice of every person in Haryana," he added.

With Kejriwal recently getting bail in the excise policy graft case, the former chief minister of Delhi will join the party's campaign on Friday and will participate in 13 events across 11 districts, covering Dabwali, Rania, Bhiwani, Meham, Kalayat, Assandh and Ballabgarh constituencies, among others, in the coming days.

Earlier in Kejriwal's absence, his wife Sunita Kejriwal and other leaders including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and MP Sanjay Singh were spearheading poll campaigns in Haryana.

The AAP leaders are highlighting works undertaken in Delhi and neighbouring Punjab by the Kejriwal-led outfit-led governments in both states to woo voters in Haryana.

While addressing public meetings, the AAP leaders have been boasting about free and round-the-clock electricity for domestic consumers, transformation of government schools and hospitals, free and good education, setting up of 'mohalla' clinics which they have done in Punjab and Delhi.

The party has also promised Rs 1,000 to women every month though it is yet to be implemented in Delhi and Punjab.

During rallies, Sunita Kejriwal has been reminding people of Haryana that her husband was born in Siwani village and was brought up in Hisar.

She called her husband 'Haryana ka laal' (son of Haryana) and had said Kejriwal has done such things which the big parties and big leaders could never do.

She had accused the BJP of putting her husband in jail in a fake case and asked the people of Haryana would they remain quiet and not support their son.

The AAP is contesting the high-octane Haryana assembly polls solo after talks with the Congress for stitching an alliance for the election could not fructify.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Kejriwal-led outfit, which was part of the INDIA bloc, contested in alliance with the Congress from Kurukshetra parliamentary constituency. But its nomine Sushil Gupta, who is also state unit president and the party's best bet, was defeated by the BJP's Naveen Jindal by around 29,000 votes.

Though the AAP is again trying its luck in the 2024 assembly polls, its past poll record shows its dismal performance in Haryana.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the AAP had unsuccessfully contested all the 10 parliamentary seats in Haryana.

The AAP had joined hands with the Jannayak Janta Party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and had fielded three candidates from Faridabad, Karnal and Ambala and they too lost.

In 2019 assembly polls, the AAP had contested 46 assembly seats and failed to register victory.

Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8.