AAP volunteers protests near BJP headquarters for full statehood to Delhi

The ruling AAP in Delhi launched its mega campaign for Lok Sabha polls, with full statehood as its central theme, staging a protest near BJP headquarters here over the issue on Sunday. The Lok Sabha election will decide the fate of the country and also of Delhi, which was badly hurt during the "dictatorship" of the BJP-led dispensation at the Centre, said AAP convener Gopal Rai.

AAP volunteers and its frontal organisations protested near BJP headquarters on the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, demanding the party to clear its stand on full statehood to Delhi. AAP will stage a similar protest outside Congress headquarters on Akbar Road on the issue on Monday.

Rai said the people of Delhi were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates, and added it will give them relief from the "autocracy" of the Modi government and its policies. "Full statehood is the only way to end the autocracy of the Centre. It is central theme of AAP's mega election campaign because we feel it is the only way to speed up development work in Delhi," he said at a press conference.

The party has designed a three-tier campaign in the first phase of which 1,000 teams will go door to door, covering seven Lok Sabha constituencies divided into 560 zones, and distribute the Delhi chief minister's letter to people on full statehood. Besides, 20 'Mini Prachar Rath' in each constituency will tour localities screening CM Arvind Kejriwal's speeches on LED screens, playing the party's election song written and sung by North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey.

In the second phase, all AAP legislators will hold extensive campaigning in their constituencies. They will together hold around 1,500 street meetings. Apart from this, the party is also preparing extensive campaigning through rallies by Kejriwal. In the third phase of campaigning, AAP will field "star campaigners" in rallies and street meetings, Rai said.

The AAP will also force Congress and BJP to clear their stand on full statehood by holding regular 'gherao' of leaders and offices of the two parties, he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)