KOCHI: The Aam Admi Party has decided against fielding candidates in all seats in the coming local body poll. The party’s plan is to contest in only those competitive seats where it has actively involved in people’s issues.
Party leadership said that in other seats, independent candidates who stand for the party’s ideologies would be supported. Candidates having a clean image are being selected carefully, party sources said.
AAP state leader C.R. Neelakandhan told DC that it is too early to be an active participant in the local body poll. “The national leadership has instructed to field candidates only in those very few competitive seats. The party doesn’t want to show its might by contesting in all seats. Priority will be in contesting those seats where the party has strong presence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the party has been conducting a door-to-door survey to get an idea of the people’s opinion. Based on the survey results, the party state committee will finalise the list of candidates and seats.
“In the highly polarised current political scenario in the state, fielding candidates in all seats in the local body poll would be a meaningless exercise. Moreover, we are not planning to contest just for the sake of it. Even in the recently held Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) poll in Karnataka, where the party has a stronger presence, we decided against contesting the poll,” added Neelakandhan.
However, a section of party workers are disappointed over the party leadership’s decision.
