AAP to contest Lok Sabha polls under Kejriwal's leadership

A day after Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as Delhi chief minister, Aam Aadmi Party today made it clear that it would contest the Lok Sabha polls under his leadership from February 23 with a rally at Rohtak in Haryana.

"It is clear that the Aam Aadmi Party will contest general elections under Kejriwal's leadership across the country," senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav told media persons in New Delhi.

After Haryana, the party will hold its second rally at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh on March 2, he said. "Both these rallies would launch Aam Aadmi Party's national campaign," Yadav said.

The party also announced to kickstart its nation-wide anti-corruption campaign 'Jhadu Chalao Yatra' from Saturday

Kerjriwal on Friday resigned as Delhi chief minister shortly after his government was defeated on the issue of tabling of the Janlokpal Bill in Delhi assembly in the face of a united resistance by outside supporter the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Congress and the opposition BJP said Kejriwal was never serious about governing and was looking for an excuse to "run away" to cover up his "failure" to deliver on his commitments.

The BJP also made it clear that the party would seek fresh elections in Delhi and was ready for it rather than form an alternative government since it did not have the required numbers in the state assembly.

Ahead of the meeting of Political Affair Committee, AAP leader and former PWD minister Manish Sisodia said the LG should dissolve the Assembly as recommended by the cabinet because it was based on a decision of majority government.

When asked about the agenda of the meeting, Yadav said the main focus of the meeting is to analyse the circumstances after Delhi government's resignation on Friday.

"We will focus on party's strategy and also analysis the situation after Delhi Government's decision of quitting for the Jan Lokpal Bill," Yadav said.