Karnataka polls: AAP to field candidates in all 224 seats

Bengaluru, Oct 30: Aiming big in upcoming Karnataka assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party has decided to field candidates in all 224 constituencies with anti-corruption agenda as its main plank.

"We have decided to contest in all the 224 constituencies. We have started our campaign in 170 constituencies of the state through Gram Sampark Abhiyan (village approach drive) and we are in the process of appointing people at the booth level in these 170 constituencies," PTI quoted party spokesperson and Karnataka AAP convener as saying.

The AAP leader claims that 58,000-odd booths in the state and the party is "aggressively" appointing at least 10 workers in each booth.

"We are strengthening our party by working at the booth level. That's how we can fight against money and muscle power," he stated.

These workers have been tasked to raise issues concerning people in their area, Reddy said adding that the response AAP is getting is tremendous because people are already fed up with the rampant corruption in the state. The AAP leader said all the three main political parties in the state have failed to check corruption and meet people's expectation, the news agency reported.

"The AAP will be here to stay. We will either win now or in the next election. That's how we are approaching this election," Reddy said.

"We are not approaching people as the fourth party but as an alternative to the 'JCB'," Reddy explained.

The AAP has come up with new coinage JCB for the three main political parties of Karnataka -- Janata Dal (Secular), Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "As the JCB these days has become synonymous with demolition, the three main parties of Karnataka have demolished people's aspirations, their hard-earned income, the healthcare and education system, and the infrastructure," Reddy added.