BJP sweeps, AAP makes debut in Assam civic polls

Tinsukia: Amid the saffron-party sweeping the Assam civil polls, Aam Aadmi Party has made it’s stunning debut in the state, making a virtual entry into the political space in the Northeastern region of the country after Delhi, Punjab and Gujarat.

With the Congress drawing a blank across 15 wards in Tinsukia Municipal Board, the AAP has emerged the main opposition by winning ward number 11. Udita Das won the second seat for AAP in Lakhimpur municipality.

The development came a year after the AAP made an emphatic debut in BJP-ruled Gujarat civil polls, and a day before the results of Punjab assembly election, where it has set its eye on forming the government after exit polls suggest a clean sweep by the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

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Highlighting the significance of this victory, AAP state joint coordinator for Assam Laxmikant Dubey said, “This victory, though small, marks the beginning of our journey in Assam, and will help us consolidate our organization base in the state in the coming days.”

“The party is eyeing the opposition space in the near future with an aim to contest all elections from here on till the day we have an AAP chief minister in Assam,” Dubey aded.

“We are a party which is fighting corruption. Delhi is an example to see what an honest government can deliver,” Dubey said.

Meanwhile, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Congratulations and best wishes to the winners. Beginning of honest and clean politics in Assam too.”

The AAP had fielded altogether 39 candidates in 80 municipalities out of which three nominations were rejected and one candidate withdrew his papers, leaving 35 candidates in the fray.

“The entry of our councillors will help us gain access to corruption happening in the municipalities, expose them, and eradicate it just as we have done in Surat Municipal Corporation,” Laxmikant Dubey said.

Terming that Guwahati Municipal Corporation elections is the next immediate focus of the party, Dubey said, “We are all set to field candidates in every seat and fight the elections with full strength.”

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Meanwhile, talking to the media, Dhiraj Kumar Singh, AAP’s winning candidate from ward number 11 under Tinsukia Municipal Board (TMB), said, “I have to stand by the immense faith voters have shown in me. That’s all I have to say at this point of time.”

He defeated heavy weight candidate, former vice-chairman of TMB, Hemant Sharma, who fought on a BJP-ticket after jumping ship from the Congress a few years ago.

Two other AAP candidates, Prerna Karnani and Priya Malakar, emerged second from Ward number 6 and 7, respectively.

The Congress and Assam Jatiya Parishad’s poor performance has given hope to the AAP get into the role of an alternate option to the voters of Assam.

In the meantime, the voters have reposed full faith in the BJP which has almost swept majority of the municipal boards across the state.

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