Arvind Kejriwal elected AAP National Convenor for third consecutive term
What's the story
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Sunday re-elected the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party for the third consecutive term. Kejriwal's re-election was confirmed at the 34-member national executive meeting on Sunday morning. Apart from Kejriwal, party leaders Pankaj Gupta and ND Gupta, too, were re-elected as National Secretary and National Treasurer, respectively. Here are more details.
Details
How did the the re-election happen?
In the AAP, the 34-member National Executive body has the power to elect the National Convenor. This National Executive was, again, elected by the AAP's National Council. The National Council meeting held Saturday elected a new executive body, which re-elected Kejriwal. Notably, this meeting was scheduled to be held in 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 situation in the country, the meeting was postponed.
Information
Kejriwal's second tenure as National Convenor was extended earlier
Kejriwal was elected as the National Convenor for the second time in 2016. However, Kejriwal's second tenure as National Convenor was extended due to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and Delhi Assembly elections in 2020.
AAP
AAP's National Council amended tenure of National Convenor
As the party's dated constitution, a National Convenor's tenure would be three years only, and office-bearers were restricted from serving over two consecutive terms. However, this January, the party's constitution was amended and the tenure of the National Convenor was increased from three years to five years. Further, the restriction on the number of consecutive terms served by an office-bearer was also removed.
Elections
AAP eyeing upcoming Assembly polls in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa
Kejriwal's re-election comes at a time when the party is eyeing upcoming Assembly elections in three key states—Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Goa. While the party is a primary Opposition in Punjab, it is now trying to expand its footprint into Uttarakhand and Goa as well. The AAP has already announced its CM candidate for Uttarakhand. In Goa, it is likely to contest all Assembly seats.