'AAP will contest all MP seats'

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to enter the political fray in Madhya Pradesh and contest with its full might in the upcoming assembly polls in the state at the end of this year.

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Among other factors, one important reason behind the party’s decision has been its state president, Rani Agrawal who created political history of sorts in July 2022 by becoming the first ever Mayor from the AAP in Madhya Pradesh. She defeated her rivals from the ruling BJP and main opposition Congress in the mayoral polls for Singrauli city last year. AAP national convener Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appointed her the president of the state unit.

Belonging to Haryana, Ms Agrawal was a housewife wh married into a Singrauli family involved in social service and running a business. She began her political career in 2012, when she was elected Sarpanch of Bargawan village in the Devsar area of Singrauli, as a BJP-supported candidate. Then she won the polls for District Panchayat Member (Zila Panchayat Sadasya) in 2015. She joined the Aam Aadmi Party in 2018, and has not looked back.

Gaurav Chandra spoke to the 48-year-old on various political issues. Excerpts –

Q: With AAP having decided to enter the political fray in MP for the upcoming assembly polls, what are the preparations and how many seats does the party plan to contest?

A: The AAP will contest all the 230 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh. We are gearing up and preparing ourselves to become the leading political party in MP too, after Delhi and Punjab. We will fight on our own without any coalition with other political parties.

Q: Do you see AAP as being in a position to influence the poll results in a way that it becomes a king-maker in MP or is the party aspiring for something bigger?