AAP to join club of India's national parties after Gujarat assembly elections

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party entered a festive mood on Thursday morning when the vote counting for the Gujarat assembly elections began. This was done regardless of the fact that the poll results did not favour them.

"Through the votes of Gujarat, the Aam Aadmi Party is becoming a national party. For the first time, politics based on education and health is getting recognition in the country. Congratulations to the people of India", senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said in a tweet on Thursday morning. Even with the early trends not favourable to the AAP in Gujarat, the party started celebrating the feat of becoming a national party.

However, the party is now all set to become the ninth national party after getting around 13 per cent vote share in the Gujarat assembly polls. A political party needs to be recognised in at least four states to become the national party. While to be recognised as a party in the state, it needs to win at least two seats and 6 per cent of votes.

With the AAP's government in Delhi and Punjab and recognition as a state party in Goa, the AAP has also achieved the status of a state party in Gujarat by securing five seats and 13 per cent vote share, which is enough to be recognised as a 'national party,' the ninth in the country.

"Thanks to the miraculous leadership of CM Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party has become a national party in just 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party is no longer limited to Delhi and Punjab but has become the national party of India. Gujarat is called the fortress of PM Modi and Amit Shah, Kejriwal has breached their fortress today", said senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh while commenting on this. He said that ten years ago the AAP was formed, till now the people of Delhi formed our government thrice in Delhi and now we have our government in Punjab also".

After getting the national party status, important advantages among others will include that its symbol broom will be reserved for party candidates across the country. The AAP's candidates will now appear on the top of EVM alphabetically and may also get office space in the heart of Delhi and the party can include as many as 40-star campaigners instead of the usual 20.

While AAP state convenor Gopal Rai in a function at the party headquarters said that despite being pressured by other political parties to not vote for us, Gujarat gave us their love and support. As many as 35 lakh people across the state supported us and due to this today we have become a national party.

"When we were on a protest against corruption in Delhi under the leadership of Anna Hazare, the ruling Congress party at the time promised that they would bring the Jan Lokpal Bill. They eventually failed in their promise and we were challenged into getting into politics. Congress said that if you are serious about bringing changes in this country, fight an election and come to power. When we finally decided to take the political plunge, it was unimaginable to think that this is where we would be 10 years later", Rai said.

He added that we have proved them wrong today and more importantly we have shown to the people of the country that when you decide to stand up against the wrongs of both Congress and the BJP, then there is no one who can stop you. This 'jhaadu' has the power to stop the dirty politics of both the Congress and the BJP."

Meanwhile, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal in a video message to party workers said, "Aam Aadmi Party has got about 13 per cent votes in Gujarat, till now 39 lakh votes have been received and counting is still going on. We are grateful to the people who reposed faith in us. This time we have succeeded in breaking the fort, next time we will win the fort".

With inputs from IANS