Ahead of MP polls, AAP comes up with 'poha chaupals'
With Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh just months away, the Aam Aadmi Party has started reaching out to people in the state through "poha chaupals", a program aimed at holding dialogues over snack. After the first "poha chaupal" held on April 13 in Mandsaur, a similar program will be held in parts of the state and it will culminate next month. Here's more.
AAP's MP unit convener Alok Agrawal said, "I came up with the idea of holding 'poha chaupals' as the snack is very popular across the state." "It got a good response. Issues directly affecting the people came up for discussion. We decided to hold the first chaupal in Mandsaur, where seven farmers were killed in police firing on June 6, 2017," he added.
The "poha chaupal" initiative reminds one of the "chai pe charcha" (discussion over tea), a mega outreach program launched by the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls involving the party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Elaborating on the objective of the program, Alok Agarwal said, "Through the poha chaupals, we want to connect to the people coming from different walks of life, like doctors, teachers, social workers, but most importantly common people." The party's "poha chaupal" program will conclude on May 14, he said adding, "After this, we are going to draft our manifesto."
Elections in MP are due by 2018-end and AAP has decided to field candidates on all 230 seats. "We will make it a point that only upright and unblemished people are given tickets," Agarwal said. He expressed confidence that AAP will spring a surprise in Assembly polls. "BJP has failed on all fronts and the main opposition Congress is not united," he added.
