Assembly Elections 2018: Aam Admi Party set to fight in all Madhya Pradesh seats

Before the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party (AAP) swept the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls winning a record 67 seats out of 70, not many were prepared to take the IITian seriously. But he arrived on national political scene with a bang and scripted history. That was four years ago. In Madhya Pradesh, another IITIan, Alok Agarwal, is now creating ripples. The 50-year-old engineer, AAP state unit chief, is leading the AAP electoral battle by putting up candidates in all the 230 constituencies of this large central Indian state.

The party has already declared 192 tickets, some of which were announced as early as in June. Many of the candidates are engineers, doctors and some retired bureaucrats. "Our focus is on educated and spotless people who can change the present depressing political scenario," party organisation secretary and spokesman Pankaj Singh told DNA.

And to prove that they are a serious player, AAP has adopted a unique method of reaching out and impressing voters of Madhya Pradesh. They are distributing a 52-point vision document, which also serves as a kind of election manifesto, in all 230 constituencies. But what is unique about this vision document? This four-page document has been sworn on a stamp paper of Rs 100 and signed by Agarwal on September 15.

Kejriwal during his recent visit to Bhopal had declared Agarwal as the party's chief ministerial candidate, but this failed to create any buzz for the AAP among the public. But the scenario is changing. AAP hoardings with CM candidate's phone number, along with the several poll promises, are slowly appearing at the busy squares of the state capital Bhopal. As Agarwal filed his nomination from Bhopal (South) on Saturday in presence of senior party leaders from Delhi, such as MP Sanjay Singh who is the party poll in-charge of the state, people have started to take notice. Agarwal is taking on former home minister and ex-mayor Umashankar Gupta who is currently the revenue minister.

Agarwal, who was noticed during the last Lok Sabha election when he contested from Khandwa (albeit with no luck), was a prominent face of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and led many battles for farmers and tribals in Narmada valley since early 90s under the leadership of Medha Patkar. He later separated from the anti-Sardar Sarovar Project agitation and focussed on agitations against Maheshwar Hydro Power Project.

Citing that AAP has been known as anti-corruption crusaders, Agarwal, who is the party's chief ministerial candidate, said that the first point in his vision document talks about the appointment of the Lokpal to root out corruption. He accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government of being one of the most corrupt governments in the state.

On AAP's poll agenda for the state and their low-key campaign, Agarwal said, "We are contesting elections to offer an alternative political system. We don't have funds to issue expensive advertisements in newspapers or TV like the Congress and BJP."

"If I become the chief minister after AAP's victory, I would stamp out corruption completely and just like Delhi government, more than 40 services would be delivered to home for the citizens," his oath document reads.

His vision document also has promises for farmers, youth, elderly alike, as well as food security, social pension.

Will AAP be able to leave a mark? Only time will tell, but as of now the straight fight in the state is between he Congress and ruling BJP.