MCD Polls: AAP pins hopes on physical campaign to take on BJP

AVINASH PRABHAKAR

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) With nearly two weeks to go for the country's biggest civic body polls in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is pinning its hopes more on physical campaign as compared to the digital way to take on the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

The 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will go to the polls on December 4, while the counting of votes will be taken up on December 7.

The AAP recently held a high-level meeting involving all its 250 candidates to chalk out its strategy to take on the BJP, which is in power in the MCD for the past three terms. The meeting discussed a decentralised campaign strategy with more focus on campaigning on the ground to propagate the works of AAP government.

The candidates and the AAP cadres have been specifically instructed to reach out to the people directly through door-to-door campaign and most importantly, hold 'Jansamvad Sabha' at the booth level to spread the work of the AAP government and its resolve that once elected, it would "liberate the capital city from three garbage mountains plaguing the city".

The party has also appointed observers at every Assembly constituency to ensure that padayatras, door-to-door interactions and public dialogues take place in all the wards as per planning. The observers will monitor the overall campaign strategy and report to the party's central office.

"These observers will ensure that padayatras, door-to-door interactions and public dialogues take place in all the wards. The central observers will monitor the overall campaign and report to the central office. The party has given prominence to the organisation in the MCD elections, which is clearly indicated by the fact that office-bearers have been given tickets," said Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia.

The party has divided the MCD campaign strategy into two phases -- the first was held from November 17 to 22, while the second phase will start from November 23.

The party is also holding 'Jansamvad Sabhas' with one senior campaigner along with the candidate in all the 250 wards. The first phase of the campaign was oriented around the agenda of clearing the three garbage mountains in the city.

During the first phase, AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai had flagged off a large unit of tempos and carriage vehicles carrying miniature versions of garbage mountains.

In the second phase of campaign, the party is planning to hold 1,000 back-to-back 'Nukkad Sabhas' from November 23 onwards in all the 250 wards within a span of 10 days till December 2, the day when election campaign will come to an end.