After Delhi, AAP sets its eye on Punjab

NEW DELHI: After conquering Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party has set its eyes on Punjab, a state from where it has four MPs.

"Our next target is Punjab. We have already defeated the Akalis in Delhi. Rajouri Garden is the only seat from where the SAD candidate was contesting on the party ticket.

"The entire Punjab government cabinet, including deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, was in Rajouri Garden to defeat me, but we won," Jarnail Singh, AAP MLA from Rajouri Garden and a state observer said.

Despite its drubbing in the Lok Sabha across the country, including Delhi, AAP managed to open its account and win four seats in Punjab, even defeating veterans like former union minister Preneet Kaur.

The party also got substantial vote share in other constituencies such as Ludhiana, Ropar, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur. It had stepped up its ante over the drug menance, which helped it gain popularity in the state.

Punjab, which is being governed by the SAD-BJP alliance, is expected to go to polls in 2017.