DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Urban Local Bodies elections scheduled for December 21. The elections will cover 87 locations across municipal corporations and committees, along with 49 by-elections to fill vacant seats. The elections will involve 977 wards.

Addressing the media, Punjab AAP President Aman Arora, accompanied by Working President and Batala MLA Amansher Singh Sharry Kalsi, State Secretary Gurdev Singh Lakhna, Dr. Sunny Ahluwalia and Chairman Amandeep Singh Mohie, expressed his confidence in the party's preparation and its transparent candidate selection process.

Shri Aman Arora highlighted the significant developmental work accomplished by the Punjab Government under Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Mann's leadership over the past two and a half years. He said that AAP's track record in urban and rural development has won the trust of the people, as evidenced by their resounding support in recent panchayat and by-elections.

AAP has adopted a grassroots approach to candidate selection. "We received an overwhelming response with over 5,000 applications for 977 wards in just a few days. In some wards, we received as many as 15-20 applications per seat. This reflects the people's faith in our governance and policies," Arora said.

He further explained that the party implemented an extensive, transparent, and accountable process to finalize candidates. Screening committees, comprising party leaders, MLAs, and office-bearers, were set up at the zonal and district levels to ensure fair selection based on feedback from workers and volunteers. The process also involved consultations with district in-charges, Lok Sabha in-charges, and local leaders to ensure inclusivity and consensus.

AAP has finalized candidates for 784 wards, with the remaining wards under discussion. These discussions are expected to conclude by this evening. The first list includes 94 wards of Ludhiana, 56 wards of Patiala and 74 wards of Amritsar.

Aman Arora commended the dedication of the party's organizational team, including Dr. Sunny Ahluwalia, Sharry Kalsi, and other zonal and district leaders, who worked tirelessly to ensure the timely finalization of candidates despite the short notice from the Election Commission.

Citing the overwhelming response from candidates and the public, Aman Arora expressed confidence in AAP's prospects in these elections. He stated, "The high number of ticket aspirants indicates that AAP is the party of choice for the people. Our track record of winning 80-85% of panchayat elections and by-elections is a testament to the people's trust in us." AAP aims to replicate its success in the upcoming elections and continue delivering on its promise of transparent and development-oriented governance. Arora concluded by reaffirming the party's commitment to empowering urban areas and thanked all party workers and volunteers for their unwavering support.

(editor@dailyworld.in)