Boosted By National party Tag, AAP Kicks Off Nationwide 'Padyatras'. In Pics

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) celebrated its achievement of national party status by organizing padyatras, or foot marches, all over the country on Wednesday. On Monday, April 10, the Election Commission (EC) recognised the AAP as a national party.

Prior to this, the party led by Arvind Kejriwal made missed calls to citizens on the number 98710101 to encourage them to join the party.

According to Gopal Rai, the AAP's national convener, these marches will also commemorate the party's achievement of national party status. “Our party achieved a significant milestone by obtaining the status of a national party in just 10 years since its inception. Party workers in all states and district offices across the country will hold celebrations on April 12. Padyatras have also been planned to spread the message of the party and appeal to citizens to join the movement by giving a missed call on the number 9871010101,” he said.

Rai added that his party wishes to take the message of Make India Number 1 to the majority. According to Pankaj Gupta, the AAP's national secretary, the party's election symbol, broom, will be reserved for the entire nation, allowing it to use this symbol in any election.

“Instead of 10, we can fill the form of any candidate with only one proposer. The party will get more time in the national media and will now be able to announce campaigns in batches of 40 in the elections. The party will also be officially given a place for its national office,” he said.

Addressing party workers in Delhi on Tuesday, Kejriwal said AAP's newly-acquired status of national party in a short span of 10 years was unbelievable, unimaginable and nothing short of magic. However, the AAP supremo also warned party leaders and workers to be ready to even go to jail if need be, citing the arrest of former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over corruption charges.