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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday claimed that most of the aspiring candidates seeking the party ticket to contest the upcoming Nagaland assembly poll do not match the party’s criteria, and it would have to wait to announce the candidate list on Feb. 7, the last day of filing nominations.
AAP had earlier announced to contest the ensuing state Assembly election scheduled to be held on February 27.
Northeast in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Rajesh Sharma, while addressing a press conference in Kohima, said 14 intending candidates have approached the party for tickets.
Accordingly, their profiles were screened but most of them did not match the criteria and the party had to wait for two more days.
‘The thing is that Nagaland politics is based on money power. So it is a huge game of money and AAP never encourages such kind of politics. The current politics, which is going on in Nagaland, is totally dependent on money and by contesting in this way, one cannot eradicate corruption from the system’, Sharma said.
He pointed out a need for “clean politics” in Nagaland, which is why AAP is looking for “good candidates” to contest the ensuing election. He asserted the party is not going to make any pre-poll or post-poll alliance.
‘AAP politics is alternative and wants to do politics that does not need much money. If a person or candidate spends INR 1 crore contesting an election, he or she will want to take back that INR 1 crore along with interest after winning the election. In that way, one cannot work for society or bring any change and AAP is not that kind of politics,’ Sharma said.
He requested all those who want change and development in the state to come out and join AAP in these two days. He appealed to the people to come out for the change, for the development of education, health, roads etc in Nagaland. The party is ready to give tickets to “eligible candidates who will match our criteria”.
The AAP will announce the candidate list on Feb. 7 and till such time, he expressed hope that the party will get candidates.
President of AAP Nagaland, Asu Keyho, said that AAP has a serious view to give new hope and vision for the state of Nagaland and that change has to come from the people.
‘In order to bring the change, the party has to select appropriate candidates who have distinguished character and are in a position to deliver.
‘We have been approached by some people but when the criteria are looked into, there are circles where we have to give different thoughts and decisions on the matter. But AAP will take a firm footing in its own criteria of merits for the selection of candidates', Keyho said.
He added ‘students and working people from Nagaland in the AAP-ruled states of Delhi and Punjab have high hope and expectation for the state. The party is keeping an open mind inviting like-minded people who are in a position to stand forward to defend the rights of the people and the common man to fulfill its obligation.’