Lok Sabha elections 2019: AAP candidate may fight from Gurgaon LS seat, say insiders
The two parties have set up a joint action committee, which has been tasked with the job of deciding who will contest from which constituency.
lok sabha elections Updated: Apr 13, 2019 01:05 ISTThe pact between the AAP and the JJP paved the way for consultations over potential candidates to be fielded in seats across Haryana.
The two parties have set up a joint action committee, which has been tasked with the job of deciding who will contest from which constituency. Party insiders from AAP, however, said there was a strong likelihood that their candidate would be contesting on the Gurgaon seat.
“We have formed a joint action committee which will hold consultations regarding the contestants who need to be fielded. The committee will factor in the credentials of the candidates and the ground situation before finalising the names,” said Nishan Singh, state president, JJP .
He said the final list of candidates will be declared on April 16, once the consultations of the committee are done. “Talks are underway and the committee will take a final call.”
AAP members privy to the discussions said the party had a better presence in urban pockets that fall within the Gurgaon parliamentary seat.
“If one considers the current dynamics, there is a 99% chance of an AAP candidate being fielded on the Gurgaon seat. We have a stronger presence in Gurgaon. The JJP, meanwhile, is yet to make inroads in these constituencies,” said a party insider.
On Friday, AAP leader Gopal Rai had also listed the Gurgaon constituency among the party’s strongholds.
In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, AAP had received its highest share of votes from Gurgaon and Badshahpur constituencies. The JJP, on the other hand, entered the electoral fray with the crucial Jind bypoll this January. The AAP had extended its support to the JJP in the Jind bypoll, where JJP candidate Digvijay Chautala came second.
“In 2014, of all the seats we contested from, our maximum vote share was from Gurgaon and Badshahpur,” said Sudhir Yadav, party spokesperson.
Former Haryana cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Ajay Yadav said, “The alliance will hurt the prospects of BJP and not Congress. AAP has more presence in urban areas, and will cut into BJP’s vote share.”
Haryana BJP spokesperson, Raman Malik, said, “Their alliance will have no impact on BJP’s vote share. Only, Haryana will have to prepare itself for a deteriorating political discourse in the coming days.”
“Both the broom and slippers will only gather dust,” he said.
First Published: Apr 13, 2019 01:05 IST