UP is next on Arvind Kejriwal’s list with Samajwadis as target

Lucknow: Elated over its stupendous victory in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is now eyeing Uttar Pradesh where it will target the ruling Samajwadi Party.

AAP leaders will be meeting after Holi next month to chalk out a strategy for Uttar Pradesh which is being touted as the “next big kill” by AAP members.

AAP leaders feel that Uttar Pradesh that has been plagued by corruption and criminalisation of politics since the past several years needs a party like AAP to bring politics back on the rails.

“The Samajwadi Party is everything that AAP is not. Naturally, we will be targeting the Samajwadis in Uttar Pradesh and highlighting their penchant for crime and corruption. We will not target individuals and remain focused on the need for positively in politics,” said a senior AAP leader.

In UP the AAP has been hampered by a lack of organisation and factionalism which has led to almost two parallel party organisations being run in Lucknow. However, success seems to be the perfect adhesive in politics and both the AAP factions came together on Tuesday to celebrate the party’s success in Lucknow.

Read: After Delhi, AAP says it will challenge SP in next UP polls

AAP’s UP spokesperson and national council member Vaibhav Maheshwari said that, “There were some differences but everything will be resolved soon and we will work as a team to make our presence felt”.

AAP national executive member and UP in-charge Sanjay Singh said the party would now reorganise itself in UP for the 2017 assembly polls. “We will try to replace caste and communal politics with issue-based politics,” he said. AAP has realised that unless it has a strong organisational base, it cannot hope to spread its wings outside Delhi.

“We have two years’ time to build up the party organisation in UP and also the experience in Delhi has enriched us,” the AAP leader said.

The AAP’s foray in UP could spell big trouble for the ruling SP, especially since AAP has already won the confidence of minorities in Delhi.

Read: Delhi will be first nail in BJP's coffin, UP the last: Samajwadi Party

“Minorities, particularly Muslims, has been feeling cheated by the Samajwadi Party. We have suffered the maximum in this regime due to communal clashes but we have no option since the Congress and the BSP have failed to provide a viable alternative. If the AAP works here with the same sincerity and dedication that it showed in Delhi, there is no doubt that Muslims will veer towards it,” said Dr Zaheer Khan, a medical practitioner.

The BJP will again be hit by the AAP in UP since the latter has already managed to wean away dalits, OBCs and poor sections of society in Delhi and these are the same groups that the BJP is relying on in UP.