‘One Step Away From Becoming National Party’: Kejriwal Congratulates AAP Workers

Kejriwal said in a tweet, "I thank the people for posing faith in AAP and its ideology.”

AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

(Photo: Facebook/Arvind Kejriwal)

With the Election Commission of India (EC) recognising Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a state party in a third state – Goa, AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated partry workers and said that the party was a step away from being declared a “national party.”

Kejriwal said in a tweet, "After Delhi and Punjab, AAP is now a state recognised party in Goa too. If we get recognised in one more state, we will officially be declared as a 'national party'. I congratulate each and every volunteer for their hard work. I thank the people for posing faith in AAP and its ideology.”

A political party in India should fulfil one of the three criteria to get a national party status:

• Six percent vote share in the last Assembly polls in each of any four states, as well as four seats in the last Lok Sabha polls

• Two percent of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such election, with MPs elected from at least three states

• Recognition as a state party in at least four states

AAP's History

The AAP was founded in 2012 soon after the Jan Lokpal movement, emerging as the second largest party in the 2013 Delhi election and went on to form the government with the support of Congress.

However, the government resigned in 49 days after it failed to get the anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill passed due to lack of Congress support, resulting in President’s Rule.

AAP came back to power in 2015 with a whopping victory, and again in 2020 polls in the national capital.

AAP now has a footprint in Punjab too with the Bhagwant Mann-led government that defeated the Akali Dal and the Congress to come out as a fresh alternative.

Kejriwal was in Gujarat over the last weekend and has been frequently touring various districts as part of a strategy to position his party as a contender for power in the state where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have been the dominant political forces.