Punjab Election: AAP says 15L people responded to party's 'Janta Chunegi Apna CM' drive

The Aam Aadmi Party's 'Janata Chunegi Apna CM' drive has received a massive response from people. According to the party, around 15 lakh people have responded till now to name their choice for Arvind Kejriwal-led party's chief ministerial face for the February 14 Punjab polls. The party had said that the AAP's CM face will be announced next week.

AAP MLA Harpal Singh Cheema said, "In the 72 hours since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released the phone number 7074870748 to know the opinion of the people of Punjab in regards to who should be the party's chief ministerial face for the upcoming election. Around 15 lakh people have voiced their view."

On Thursday, Arvind Kejriwal had asked people who should be AAP's chief ministerial face for the Punjab Assembly poll, even as he had said Bhagwant Mann was his personal choice. The party launched a mobile number on which people can share their opinion till 5 pm on Monday by sending a text or WhatsApp message or voice recording.

Ruling himself out, Kejriwal said that the candidate for the top position will be declared after getting feedback from the people. "In the last 72 hours, seven lakh people called, 5.5 lakh voted for their choice via WhatsApp, 1.5 lakh left voice messages and an equal number of people sent text messages," Cheema said.

Cheema added that Punjabis will "wipe out the traditional political parties" in the Assembly elections and give the mandate to the AAP.

Punjab Assembly elections 2022

Assembly polls in Punjab will be held in a single phase on February 14. In the 2017 polls, Congress had won whopping 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly, while AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance won 18 seats. 

It is perceived that the recent tussle in the state's Congress unit with the exit of Captain Amarinder Singh and the Charanjit Singh Channi-Navjot Singh Sidhu tussle might benefit AAP.

Arvind Kejriwal has guaranteed free electricity up to 300 units, a waiver of outstanding electricity bills, free and quality healthcare, free medicine, free health cards for all 16,000 Pind clinics, and Rs 1,000 monthly payment to every adult woman among others.