NEW DELHI:
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday effected top level change in Punjab unit with senior leader and
deputy chief minister Manish
Sisodia being appointed in charge of Punjab. The decision follows
AAP's drubbing in the recently held civic elections in the state where the party put up a rather satisfactory show earlier this year and occupied the opposition benches in the assembly elections by winning 20 seats.
Before Sisodia, AAP functionary Sanjay Singh was in charge of the party's Punjab unit. He tendered his resignation in April after the party's dismal show in Delhi's municipal elections amid a BJP sweep, but was asked to continue as acting in charge.
The results of the recent civic polls suggest that AAP has lost a significant political ground in the state where AAP won only one ward in Kapurthala district out of total 414 wards. Congress swept the civic polls. The task for Sisodia is cut out. He needs to make efforts to rejuvenate the party so that it springs back into popularity and its organisation at the booth level is strengthened before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls hardly 18 months from now.
Sisodia, widely regarded as a hardworking functionary, will be expected to find out the causes behind party's sharp decline in popularity and make efforts to check it so that the party is ready to face the next big polls with confidence.
A strong support base in Punjab also serves AAP national political ambitions as it will carry a huge sway when the party marches to other states in search of new grounds. After Delhi, Punjab is the strongest unit of AAP which has been making frantic efforts to spread its footprints at the national level.
Punjab is the only state where people elected its four candidates as MPs in 2014 Lok Sabha poll while in other parts of the country people rejected AAP candidates including Arvind Kejriwal, who contested from Varanasi.
The decision for appointment was taken after assessment of prevailing political situation in Punjab in the backdrop of the debacle in the civic polls. AAP's topmost decision making body, Political Affairs Committee, has approved the appointment, said a party functionary.
Punjab unit has welcomed AAP's decision to appoint Sisodia as AAP Punjab in charge. "Welcome the decision of the party and also welcome
Manish Sisodia," said HS Phoolka, AAP MLA and functionary from Punjab, in a tweet. AAP Punjab unit tweeted on Tuesday: "Every volunteer and every leader of team Punjab is looking forward to the new beginning with enthusiasm & hope!"
