The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may have announced its decision to contest the byelections to the four Vidhan Sabha seats in Punjab, but at the midway mark of the present Assembly’s tenure, the party’s fortunes have seen a sharp dip in the four constituencies since 2017 polls with rampant infighting making the ensuing electoral battle an uphill struggle.
State president of the party and Sangrur MP, Bhagwant Mann, recently announced that the party will be contesting the byelections to Dakha, Jalalabad, Phagwara and Mukerian Assembly seats.
While the first three constituencies are seeing a bypoll due to resignations, the Mukerian byelection is taking place due to death of the sitting MLA.
While AAP was unable to secure a majority in the House, it emerged as the second largest party with 20 seats.
The resignation of MLAs, defections to other parties and a dissident group of MLAs remaining aloof, the party’s ground cadre has been left demoralised.