NEW DELHI: With just four weeks left for the municipal polls, Aam Aadmi Party has started the process to finalise the candidates and assign campaign responsibilities to its workers. In a meeting with the party MLAs, Delhi convener Gopal Rai and deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Tuesday discussed the blueprint of the strategy and important issues to be raised in door-to-door interactions and corner meetings in different wards. The polling for 250 municipal wards will take place on December 4 while the votes will be counted on December 7. Senior party leaders said all AAP MLAs were given instructions to personally monitor the Jansamvad campaign and make people aware of the BJP’s failure to dispose of the garbage and turning the entire Delhi into a dumping ground. “Discussion was also held on the strategy of conducting more than 500 mass public dialogues every day across Delhi. Instructions have been given to all workers to connect with each and every resident of Delhi and listen to their problems,” the party said in a statement. AAP is fighting the upcoming poll on the issues of poor sanitation and garbage disposal. The party also launched its campaign ‘Kude Par Jansamvad’ (public dialogue on garbage) on Tuesday. A senior party leader said that by November 20, public dialogues would be held at each of Delhi’s 13,682 booths. “In the last 15 years, BJP has made the life of Delhiites hell. Its departure from the MCD will ensure getting the city rid of the garbage dumps, including the three mountains of trash in Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla,” said a party functionary. With just five days left for filing nominations, the party is likely to hold the meetings to finalise the candidates from Wednesday. Sources said more than 6,000 people have approached the leadership for tickets. “We will field those with a clean image. Winnability is one big criterion,” said a party leader. Apart from seeking names of potential candidates from party workers active in different wards, AAP has got two surveys conducted through private agencies. The party has also invited biodata directly from ticket aspirants. A senior party leader said a separate survey on the performance and image of candidates who contested the last election was also conducted. Chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in Gujarat, is likely to be back on November 9. “We will have a spate of meetings after that to finalise the candidates,” said a party functionary. November 14 is the last day to file nominations.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/race-to-pick-candidates-as-municipal-polls-near/articleshow/95386515.cms