AAP ropes in MLAs from other states to strengthen its Rajasthan cadre

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Rajasthan is gearing for upcoming Assembly elections that could take place at the end of 2023. Keeping that in mind, AAP is currently focusing on putting in place a party structure in the state.
The party has recently given the responsibility to seven MLAs from Delhi, Punjab, and Gujarat to help the state unit. These MLAs have been given charge as co-in charge. Three MLAs from Delhi, two from Punjab and two from Gujarat are visiting the state.
Shiv Charan Goyal, Naresh Yadav, and Mukesh Ahlawat from Delhi, Amandeep Singh Goldy and Narinder Pal Singh from Punjab and Chaitar Vasava and Hemant Khava from Gujarat have started chalking out plans for the party’s structure in the state. According to leaders from AAP Rajasthan, the state has been divided into seven divisions and each MLA has been given responsibility for his respective division. “Their main task is to meet local leaders and look at the new joining in the party,” an AAP functionary from Rajasthan said.
The party has completed its state-level executive list and now more focus is being laid on the circle and booth-level executive. “Within 10-15 days, we will announce our booth-level executive team,” the AAP leader said.
Talks stalled with Hanuman Beniwal: Last month, a video surfaced on social media and created a buzz in the political aisle of Rajasthan politics. In the video, AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann could be seen meeting Rashtriya Loktantrik Party president and MP from Nagaur Hanuman Beniwal.
At that time AAP leaders were in talks with the RLP supremo, but now talks are stalled in both parties and, according to sources, Hanuman Beniwal is not clearing the cloud on the alliance with AAP. According to sources, AAP is also trying to bring the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) into its fold. The Tribal Party has two MLAs in the Rajasthan Assembly.
The BTP fought and won two seats Chorasi and Sagwara in the 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election. It joined the Indian National Congress government, but withdrew its support in 2020. In the last 2018 Assembly elections, AAP fielded 142 candidates out of a total of 200 Assembly seats in the state. But the party was not able to fetch a single seat. AAP’s total vote share was 0.38%, with 1,36,345 votes polled. Now, the party has announced it will fight elections on all 200 seats. Rajasthan is seen as crucial by AAP’s central unit in its expansion plan in the Hindi heartland.