MCD Polls: AAP plans decentralised campaign strategy, alleges BJP turning Delhi into a pile of garbage'

New Delhi: As the voting day for the 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is inching closer, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is pinning its hopes more on a physical campaign as compared to the digital way to take on the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power in the MCD for the past three terms. In its recently held high-level meeting, involving all its 250 candidates to chalk out its strategy to take on the BJP, the AAP discussed a decentralised campaign strategy with more focus on campaigning on the ground to propagate the works of the AAP government in the capital, according to an IANS report. 

Ahead of the December 4 polls, senior AAP leaders at public meetings in different wards on Tuesday alleged that the BJP has turned Delhi into "a pile of garbage" during its 15-year rule of the city's civic body. The AAP leaders and workers held foot marches, public meetings, and door-to-door campaigns in various areas ahead of the MCD elections. MLAs Atishi, Durgesh Pathak, and Dilip Pandey took part in public meetings in their respective assembly constituencies.

The AAP candidates and cadres have been specifically instructed to reach out to the people directly through door-to-door campaigns and most importantly, hold `Jansamvad Sabha` at the booth level to spread the work of the AAP government. They have also been asked to covey the party's resolve that once elected, it would "liberate the capital city from three garbage mountains plaguing the city".

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The party has also appointed observers at every Assembly constituency to ensure that padayatras, door-to-door interactions and public dialogues take place in all the wards as per planning. The observers will reportedly monitor the overall campaign strategy and report to the party`s central office.

The AAP has divided the MCD campaign strategy into two phases -- the first was held from November 17 to 22, while the second phase will start from November 23. It will be holding `Jansamvad Sabhas` with one senior campaigner along with the candidate in all the 250 wards. The first phase of the campaign was oriented around the agenda of clearing the three garbage mountains in the city.

During the first phase, AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai had flagged off a large unit of tempos and carriage vehicles carrying miniature versions of garbage mountains. In the second phase of the campaign, the party is planning to hold 1,000 back-to-back `Nukkad Sabhas` from November 23 onwards in all 250 wards within a span of 10 days till December 2, the day when the election campaign will come to an end.

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Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, told IANS, "These observers will ensure that padayatras, door-to-door interactions and public dialogues take place in all the wards. The central observers will monitor the overall campaign and report to the central office. The party has given prominence to the organisation in the MCD elections, which is clearly indicated by the fact that office-bearers have been given tickets."

During the campaign, the AAP leaders told people that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal provided excellent schools, hospitals, and free electricity, and water to Delhiites and appreciated the unprecedented development in the capital.

The AAP plans to go full-throttle with its second phase of campaigning from Wednesday with music and magic shows, street plays, and 1,000 street-corner meetings by star campaigners to woo voters for the December 4 Delhi civic polls.

(With IANS/PTI Inputs)