Himachal Pradesh Election: AAP Releases First List, Fields Rajan Sushant From Fatehpur

The AAP has launched a campaign blitzkrieg in Himachal and made a slew of poll promises. Elections are slated to be held in Himachal later this year. 

The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday released its first list of four candidates for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. The party has fielded former BJP MP Dr Rajan Sushant from the Fatehpur assembly seat, Umakant Dogra from Nagrota, Sudarshan Jaspra from Lahaul Spiti, and Manish Thakur from Sri Paonta Sahib.

The AAP has launched a campaign blitzkrieg in Himachal and made a slew of poll promises. Elections are slated to be held in Himachal later this year. 

In the 2017 Himachal election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 44 of the total 68 seats to form the government, ousting the Congress which managed only 21 seats.

Rajan Sushant, who quit AAP six years ago, rejoined the party in the presence of Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at Mandi on September 10.

While quitting AAP in 2016, Sushant was its state convener. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Kangra-Chamba parliamentary seat on an AAP ticket. He later resigned from the party to float his political outfit "Hamari Party, Himachal Party" in 2020.

Himachal Election: Promises Made By AAP

In Himachal, AAP has promised 6 lakh government jobs for the youth if it came to power. It has also promised a Rs 3,000 allowance to the youth as long as they do not find work. Sisodia also asserted that he would provide the Himachal traders with a favourable work environment. "People won't have to travel anyplace to get their government work completed," he had said.

Sisodia has also promised that each pradhan would receive Rs 10,000 per month in addition to a grant of Rs 10 lakh given to the Gram Panchayat each year for development work. Additionally, AAP will provide free pilgrimages to Burjargaun in Himachal Pradesh. The party has also pledged 300 units of free power in Himachal Pradesh.

One of the biggest USPs of Himachal Pradesh is its tourism industry. Himachal's tourism sector generates Rs 11,000 crore in revenue and accounts for 7.3% of the state's GDP.  The AAP said that if voted to power, it would frame policies to give a major boost to tourism and trade.