AAP Mulls Contesting Rural Polls, Lok Sabha Elections In West Bengal

The AAP, which is presently in power in Delhi and Punjab, has been working on strengthening its organisation in various states.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. AAP has been trying to expand its footprint in West Bengal

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Kolkata: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is eyeing a pan-India footprint, will soon launch an agitation across West Bengal against the "dictatorial functioning" of the BJP-led government at the Centre, as part of its nationwide programme. The AAP and the BJP have locked horns for the last few days, with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party accusing the saffron camp of trying to topple the elected government in Delhi.

The AAP, which is presently in power in Delhi and Punjab, has been working on strengthening its organisation in various states.

"Very soon, we will launch a state-wide agitation in West Bengal against the authoritarian functioning of the BJP-led government at the Centre. We are against both the undemocratic functioning of the government and dynasty politics. The state-wide agitation is part of our pan-India programme against the BJP," AAP leader Tulika Adhikary said.

She said the party, which has been trying to expand its footprint in West Bengal, has plans to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the state.

"We have been getting excellent responses from various parts of West Bengal. We hope to have a presence across the state by next year. We have plans to contest next year's panchayat polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state," she said.

The AAP leader said the party would focus on development, transparency and corruption-free governance.

"Our fight would be against corruption, be it of the ruling TMC or the opposition BJP. We won't compromise in the fight against graft," she said.

The AAP opened its unit in West Bengal in 2015 but later suffered several splits, and those groups later merged with the TMC.

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)