With all eyes on Punjab campaign, AAP shelves idea to contest in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

NEW DELHI: Several months after declaring its intentions of contesting state elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Aam Aadmi Party has quietly shelved the idea. Even as the party’s upbeat campaign in Punjab for elections in 2017 gathers momentum, the two Tamil-speaking provinces were next on the radar of a section of AAP leadership. Absence of strong party units in both places and inadequate consultations within the party appear to have prompted senior leaders to decide against contesting next month’s assembly polls.

“In the 2016 set of elections, we are not contesting anywhere. Promise was made to volunteers of Puducherry by Somnath Bharti, he even told it to the media that AAP will contest. Many people joined, lot of efforts were undertaken. But he did not talk first in Delhi and announced it there,” a senior party source told ET.

Further, this source said, announcing the intention to contest in Puducherry ensured that the Tamil Nadu unit also pushed for it and Bharti hinted as much while speaking with reporters. “The party unit there was found wanting. He did not undertake organisation building work and there is no face to project in Puducherry,” said the source.

Speculation was rife a couple of months ago that the AAP will contest in Tamil Nadu along with Vaiko’s MDMK. However, the party’s recent decision of rebuffing Vaiko’s request of support made the top leadership’s decision of not contesting clear.

“The Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which was not consulted before announcement of contesting polls in Puducherry, decided against contesting both polls,” another AAP leader said.