NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal announced that the party will contest elections in six states that go to polls next year. The announcement was made at the party's Ninth National Council meeting on Thursday.
The eight-year-old party will contest elections in next year in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal also asked for action against those responsible for the January 26 violence in Delhi after the farmers' tractor rally turned violent.
AAP has accused the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of planting their people within the farmers' protest in order to disrupt the tractor rally.
BJP rules four of the six states that AAP plans to contest in.
Two days after the violence, CM Kejriwal said his party will boycott the President's address tomorrow as a way to show support to protesting farmers.
So far, 24 cases have been filed naming farm leaders who were involved in the protest and rally. They have also been served show-cause notices,
"What happened on January 26 is regrettable, and whichever leader or party is involved should face strict action," said the Delhi Chief Minister.
Arvind Kejriwal added that the events that occurred during tractor rally do not indicate the end of the movement against centre's three contentious agriculture laws.
He also urged his party members to always speak to the protesting farmers without their party cap and flag. "Always approach them as fellow citizens. Do not do politics there," he said.
At the beginning of the protests in November at Delhi, the party had declared its absolute support to their demands and welcomed them to Delhi, saying the party was in service and always would take care of those who grow food.
AAP also declared it would contest all the 117 seats in agriculture-centric Punjab - where it is the second largest party with 19 seats. Within days, it added Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to the list as support grew for the anti-farm law movement.
It has since attacked the BJP for being anti-farmer and anti-people and attacked Punjab Chief Minister and Congress veteran Amarinder Singh as well.
"I urge party members to strengthen the grassroots-level hold of the party across the country. The country is important for the people and AAP is the vehicle and we need to work to develop the party," Arvind Kejriwal said today.
The Parliament's Budget session starts on Friday.
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