AAP to contest local polls in Bangaluru, party's first outside Delhi

NEW DELHI: Having begun initial preparations for contesting municipal polls in Bangalore, the Aam Aadmi Party's Karanataka unit is racing against time to ready itself for the party's likely first local election outside Delhi. While the party claims to have managed to increase public support, three of its most active efforts are directed towards seeking women leaders in larger numbers who could be fielded as candidates, readying adequate number of volunteers on polling booths and thinking about a prominent face which would represent the party in the civic polls.

“Elections were supposed to be six months away , but now will be held within three months. If we contest, it will be to have our Mayor in Bangalore, so considering the limited time, our team is preparing accordingly. Most of our organization structure was dormant. But we will contest like we did in Delhi, I have had volunteer meetings in 20 out of 28 assembly constituencies (of Bangalore) and the spirit is very high," AAP's Karnataka leader Prithvi Reddy told ET. Speaking a day before he was scheduled to meet the party's top leadership in Delhi for briefing them about the poll preparations in Bangalore, Reddy said a survey conducted during the past three days of 7500 citizens found “75-80% wanted an alternative to the BJP and Congress and so, they will vote for AAP. Between 10 and 15% of them said they are even willing to donate time and money."