Is Congress paving the way for AAP in Haryana civic polls?

Chandigarh: After Congress bowed out of the state municipal polls, Aam Aadmi Party is likely to benefit in its debut polls to the 46 municipal bodies.

The Congress has no single candidates to its name in the polls; however, a few candidates tried their luck with the party's support, according to The Indian Express.

The Congress' withdrawal offers AAP a necessary leeway, to test the waters in the state politics for the first time.

While the ruling BJP-JJP coalition is upbeat about is chances, AAP is hoping to enter the vacuum left behind by the Congress—and Haryana has long been top on the list of AAP's targets for expansion.

The Congress blamed its poor cadre base at the district and booth levels for its withdrawal, nevertheless the party continues to be the second largest after BJP in the state.

Continuing infighting in congress has hamstrung it making the leadership unable to set up party units at grass-root level close to a decade, according to the report.

Vivek Bansal, who is in-charge of the party affairs for the state, said the process to strengthen the organization was on since Chintan Shivir

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former chief minister of the state, supported the decision not to contest civic polls saying the party had never contested civic polls on its symbol.

AAP is eyeing the opportunity to make a resounding entry into the state replicating close to its win in Punjab.

Back in 2019 Aravind Kejeriwal's AAP fielded candidates in 46 of the 90 constituencies winning none alongside candidates losing security deposits.

The party hopes at least to retain its growing cadre base and if chances work, the protest over Agnipath could benefit the party.

The results of Haryana municipal polls held on Sunday will come out on June 22.