Aam Aadmi Party

The Aam Aadmi Party (transl. Common Man’s Party; abbr. AAP) is a political party in India. AAP was founded in November 2012 by Arvind Kejriwal and his then-companions, following the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement. AAP is currently the ruling party of two states: The N.C.T of Delhi , and the state of Punjab. The party’s election symbol is a broom.The party came into existence following a rift between Kejriwal and Indian activist Anna Hazare regarding the incorporation of electoral politics into the popular 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, which had been demanding a Jan Lokpal Bill since 2011. Hazare preferred the movement should remain politically unaligned, whereas Kejriwal felt the failure of the agitation route necessitated changes in government’s representation itself. Janlokpal was established in Delhi and in Punjab as soon as AAP formed the respective governments with full majority.Making its electoral debut in the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, the AAP emerged as second largest party after the BJP; neither of the parties had an absolute majority. Consequently, the AAP formed the government with support from INC members of assembly. Kejriwal became the Chief Minister of Delhi, but his government resigned in 49 days after he could not pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the assembly, because of the lack of support from the INC. After President’s rule in Delhi, in the following 2015 elections, the AAP won 67 of the 70 seats in the assembly, leaving the BJP with just 3 seats and INC with none; and Kejriwal was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Delhi. The AAP lost all seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi in the 2019 national election. However, the AAP defeated the BJP in the subsequent 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, winning 62 seats.The AAP cemented its popularity outside Delhi, when it emerged as the second largest party in the 2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, securing 20 seats. It went on to win a majority 92 seats in the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, following which its member Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Punjab. The party has expanded its influence to Chandigarh, Goa and Gujarat, qualifying as a national party.