M A I N   N E W S

AAP’s grand plan: To contest most LS seats
First list of candidates in 2 weeks Kejriwal not in race
Tribune News Service & PTI

Kejriwal says no to 5-bedroom house After drawing flak over his decision to move into a five-bedroom government flat, ‘aam aadmi’ mascot and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal beat a hasty retreat, saying he would not accept the two adjoining duplex flats in Central Delhi.

New Delhi, January 4
After its stunning debut, the Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday said it would attempt to contest as many seats as possible in the Lok Sabha elections this year and would declare its first list of candidates within two weeks.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ruled out his contesting the Lok Sabha polls, hours after a senior leader said he wanted to see him as Prime Minister. "I am not contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Out of affection for me, Yogendra Yadav has said that," he told reporters when they asked him about Yadav's remark that his dream was to see Kejriwal as Prime Minister.

AAP strategist Yogendra Yadav had said the country needed a better alternative than BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. “We have always held that any contest between Rahul and Modi will be disastrous for the country. The country needs a better alternative. We will decide if we are capable enough to provide it.”

Kejriwal said the politics of the day was not who will be the PM. "Neither Rahul Gandhi nor Narendra Modi nor Arvind Kejriwal is important. The country's politics is fight against inflation and corruption."

Earlier in the day, Prashant Bhushan said the decision on the PM candidate would be taken after the results. He was talking to the media in between a two-day meeting of the party’s National Executive. Kejriwal, all top leaders and state unit conveners attended the meeting. On the agenda is to chalk out an action plan for the upcoming elections.

"The AAP will contest the Lok Sabha elections in most states and on the maximum number of seats. We will try to declare the list of maximum candidates by mid-February or latest by the end of February," Bhushan said.

Asked whether Kejriwal would be declared the PM candidate, he said this issue was not to be decided today. "Arvind Kejriwal is the supreme leader of the party but we have not decided on the name of our prime ministerial candidate. It does not hold importance to us as to who our PM candidate would be," Bhushan said.

The results of the Delhi Assembly elections were reviewed during the meeting to ensure that gaps in the process were overcome in the run-up to the polls. “We have decided the same procedure for manifestoes to focus on local issues. We have met the state conveners and we are discussing the details.

We are sure to contest from a substantial number of seats and by February 15 we would release the names of most of our candidates,” said senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh while the meeting continued. “Candidates facing criminal and corruption charges and questions on their moral character will not be given tickets.”

The Congress sought to ridicule AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal after the fledgling party announced that it will contest the Lok Sabha election, saying there is no bar on even a Chief Minister for six days to "dream" of being the Prime Minister.

"Everybody has the right to dream. You cannot put a ban on people dreaming. There is no such law in the country. So many Chief Ministers are dreaming of becoming Prime Ministerial candidates. Some have been announced. Some themselves think that they are. Why can't Kejriwal think of it though he has been a Chief Minister for only last six days?" party general secretary in-charge for Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said, adding there is "no challenge or threat" to Rahul Gandhi.

On the other hand, the BJP continued its attack alleging a close-door alliance between the Congress and AAP as the ruling party at the Centre knows that it does not stand a chance against Narendra Modi.