'Anti-National Forces Put Sisodia, Jain Behind Bars': Kejriwal To AAP Workers A Day After Becoming National Party

Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday addressed the party workers after AAP was given the status of national party by the Election Commission of India on Monday. 

AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Source : Twitter/@ArvindKejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday addressed the party workers after AAP was given the status of national party by the Election Commission of India on Monday. Speaking at the event, Kejriwal remembered his jailed ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain saying "anti-national forces" worked to put them behind bars. 

Referring to his poll promises of free water and electricity supply, he took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party saying Amit Shah also promised free electricity in Bengal. 

"Die-hard honesty, patriotism and humanity are three pillars of AAP's ideology, " he remarked. 

Speaking on action against AAP leaders, Kejriwal said to "be ready to be in jail for 8-10 months." "They (BJP) won't keep for long because we did not do anythig wrong," he said, adding "leave the party if you are scared." 

Kejriwal also paid tribute to AAP worker Santosh Koli who passed away in 2013 in a road accident, banker Meera Sanyal who joined AAP but died in 2019, a worker Bipin who suffered heart attack during Punjab elections. 

The Kejriwal-led AAP acquired the status of national party in just 10 years of its formation. The party stemmed from Anna Hazare-led Indian Against Corruption movement and was formed in 2012. The decision by the poll watchdog came after Karnataka High Court last week passed directions to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar to pass an order before April 13 regarding the national party status of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). 

With this, the upcoming Karnataka polls will be AAP's first election as a "national party" as the 224-member Karnataka Assembly goes to polls on May 10.

Reacting to the party's achievement, Kejriwal said it was nothing less than a "miracle" for AAP to get the national party status in such a short time.

"National party in such a short time? This is nothing less than a miracle. Many congratulations to all. Crores of people of the country have brought us here. People expect a lot from us. Today people have given us a huge responsibility," Kejriwal tweeted.

A national party needs to have two per cent of Lok Sabha seats in a minimum of three states. This means 11 seats. 

The other criterion is that the party must have state party recognition in four states. For state party recognition, a party needs six per cent votes/two seats in a state assembly election, or three seats if its vote share is less than six per cent.

AAP has governments in Delhi and Punjab. In Goa, the party meets the six per cent votes/two seats requirement. AAP became eligible for 'national party' status last year after securing nearly 13 per cent of the votes in the Gujarat election. The AAP won five seats on its Gujarat Assembly election debut.