AAP seeks to expand footprint this Lok Sabha polls: A SWOT analysis

New Delhi: The AAP, the ruling party in Delhi and Punjab which has achieved national party status within a span of just over a decade, will seek to expand its political footprint in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Now part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, the party braces for the big test and has to navigate challenges like corruption charges against its leaders and a looming threat of arrest of its supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam case.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which began as a political 'start-up' based on the idea of the anti-corruption movement 12 years ago, will pitch the performance of its governments in Delhi and Punjab and its achievements.

As of now, the AAP is contesting 22 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab (13 seats), Delhi (4), Assam (2), Gujarat (2) and Haryana (one seat).

The Election Commission announced on Saturday that the Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Polling in Punjab will be held on June 1, Delhi on May 25, Assam on April 19 and 26 and May 7, Gujarat on May 7 and in Haryana on May 25.

Ironically, people overwhelmingly voted for the AAP in the Delhi assembly polls in 2015, but in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, they chose all the seven BJP candidates in Delhi.

Here is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the AAP

STRENGTHS:

* Arvind Kejriwal remains the prominent face of the party.

* Appeal among lower middle-class voters and AAP's pitch that it is a party with a difference.

* Delivery on promises of quality education and health, and free electricity and water, and other welfare schemes have yielded massive electoral successes for the party in Delhi and Punjab.

* Growing acceptance of AAP as a major party in national politics.

WEAKNESSES:

* Lack of strong organisational set-up at national and state level.

* Absence of senior experienced leaders having wide political and strategic exposure.

* Dent on AAP's image as an honest party over alleged corruption issues.

OPPORTUNITIES:

*AAP has a chance to create a new political narrative.

* It has an opportunity to create a big base pan-India.

THREATS:

*Looming threat of arrest of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in the now-scrapped excise policy case.

* 'Modi factor' which can again give BJP an edge.

* BJP's well-entrenched Hindutva politics.