Mumbai: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is unlikely to contest the upcoming Jharkhand and Maharashtra assembly elections. Senior AAP sources have confirmed that the leadership views contesting in Jharkhand and Maharashtra as futile. A key party official stated, “There is no point negotiating for one or two assembly seats.” The Maharashtra unit had initially expressed interest in contesting the elections as a way to expand its organizational base, but the central leadership has opted against it, prioritizing the unity of the INDIA bloc, which AAP is part of.
In the 2019 elections, AAP fielded candidates in both states with little success. With both Jharkhand and Maharashtra headed to polls in November—Jharkhand in two phases on November 13 and 20, and Maharashtra in a single phase on November 20—AAP’s decision to sit out appears driven by a cautious approach. The party aims to avoid splitting the anti-BJP vote and plans to recalibrate its political strategy for future contests.
