AAP fails to foray into Seemandhra

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, March 7, 2014: The new entrant into India’s political landscape, Aam Admi Party (AAP) might have attracted and fielded, prominent persons and big names like captain Gopinath, Meera Sanyal, Mallika Sarabai in metros like Mumbai, Delhi and Banglore, but failed to make much foray into Seemandhra region, especially in places like Vizag.

AAP received around 20 applications from candidates, who are willing to contest from Vizag loksabha seat but no known personality opted to take a plunge with AAP.

Normal lawyers, doctors, software developers and young entrepreneurs are among the applicants. After interviews in Hyderabad, expected to be held in a week, Vizag loksabha candidate will be announced.

AAP local volunteers have already formed into various groups and are getting ready to launch poll campaign. Vizag loksabha constituency has sizeable urban, educated and young voters, who AAP local leaders are banking on.  

While the conventional parties like Congress, TD and YSRC are yet to decide their local strategies, AAP has begun ground work since 2 months. 

While membership of the party was said to be over 1lakh in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Assam, around 2lakh in Odisha, Gujarat and Jharkhand, around 2.5 lakh each in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, about 4 to 5 lakh each in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, and nearly 6lakh in Kerala, it was only said to be around 20,000 in Vizag.

“There is good response for the party in Vizag. We are waiting for the interview to select Vizag candidate is finished and the candidate is finalized so that we can launch our0 campaign. We are hopeful of making an impact among Vizag public. There are also many youngsters showing interest in working with us as volunteers,” said local AAP coordinator, Abhishek Banthia. 

Mass emails, bulk SMSs, mapping of various zones using Google Maps, extensive use of Social Media like Facebook and Twitter is the strategy of AAP Vizag.

After initial euphoria and enthusiasm the AAP ‘magic’ seems to have faded in Vizag. The membership enrollment which was launched amidst much fanfare has disappointed the local AAP committee members.

When the membership drive was launched in the first week of January, around 1,000 persons were enrolled in just 2 days. Against the target of 1 lakh memberships by March only close to 20,000 enrolled until now. On field responses from even middle class voters is said to be in favour of conventional parties, admitted AAP local leaders.