Arvind Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi and convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is likely to campaign for allied parties in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. According to sources, Kejriwal will primarily campaign for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena-UBT and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. Both parties, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), have reportedly approached Kejriwal to assist in their campaign.
Kejriwal is expected to focus on assembly constituencies where AAP has a strong organisational presence. Additionally, he will campaign in areas where the MVA candidates do not have any controversial backgrounds. Apart from Kejriwal, other prominent AAP leaders may also campaign for Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP-SP, the constituent parties of the INDIA bloc.
Hemant Soren's JMM To Get Arvind Kejriwal's Support For Jharkhand Polls
AAP sources said that Kejriwal will extend his campaign efforts to Jharkhand, where he is likely to campaign for candidates of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Kejriwal is expected to focus on urban constituencies in the state. It is noteworthy that after being released from jail, Hemant Soren, along with his wife Kalpana Soren, visited Kejriwal's residence and met his wife, Sunita Kejriwal.
Uncertainty Over Campaigning for Congress
It remains unclear whether Kejriwal will campaign for the Congress in Maharashtra or Jharkhand. Recently, AAP did not form an alliance with Congress in Haryana, leading to some tension between the two parties. After Congress's defeat in Haryana, AAP made indirect remarks about the outcome.
Maharashtra will hold elections in a single phase on November 20, while Jharkhand will have a two-phase election on November 13 and 20. The results for both states will be out on November 23.
Meanwhile, AAP has also released a list of star campaigners for the upcoming by-elections in four assembly seats in Punjab. Kejriwal will be seen campaigning for AAP candidates in Punjab.