NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party, which is the only party to have announced candidates for all 70 seats for the Feb 5 assembly elections in Delhi, has undergone significant transformation in its character and approach since the last polls in 2020. The party, which once talked about Congress and BJP as being chips off the same block and enmeshed in corruption, now prioritises electoral win in selecting candidates and has nominated eight individuals who were earlier members of BJP and Congress. Some long-standing members who were associated with the party since the Anna Hazare era have departed, among them Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal and minister Kailash Gahlot.
Maliwal left after accusing Arvind Kejriwal's aide Vibhav Kumar of physically assaulting her, while Gahlot charged the party with deviating from its founding principles. The two Dalit ministers, Raaj Kumar Anand and Rajinder Pal Gautam, quit the party claiming AAP wasn't attentive to scheduled castes. Following corruption allegations against senior functionaries, AAP was beset with internal challenges until Kejriwal was released on bail from jail in Sept last year.
His presence helped reunite the party and present a cohesive front to the public. Its electoral strategy continues to centre on Kejriwal's leadership, emphasising his "ability" to fulfil promises. The party has announced direct transfer of Rs 2,100 to women, garnering positive support among the public.
To counter criticism about the funds required for such an .
