Seeking to bring fresh faces into electoral politics, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chandigarh has invited applications from socially committed women to fight on two women-reserved wards in the upcoming municipal corporation elections.
This follows the party’s broader ‘Chandigarh First’ campaign, announced on August 2, to identify capable and socially committed citizens for municipal politics. The party has invited applications from women willing to contest for the councillor’s post in Ward 2, covering Sectors 1 to 10, and Ward 11, comprising Sectors 18, 19 and 21. In 2014, the party made a high-profile entry into the city’s electoral landscape by fielding actor and activist Gul Panag from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency. Panag, who was born and brought up in the city, secured 1.08 lakh votes, finishing third behind BJP’s Kirron Kher and Congress’ Pawan Kumar Bansal. AAP built its Chandigarh organisation through the induction of former Congress leaders, including former mayor and Chandigarh Congress president Pardeep Chhabra, who joined the party in August 2021. The party went on to win 14 of the 35 seats in its maiden municipal election, emerging as the single-largest party.
The party is particularly keen on candidates with a legal background, sound understanding of municipal laws and knowledge of the municipal corporation Act, which governs the functioning and responsibilities of the civic body. Under the campaign, AAP had called upon professionals, including teachers, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, lawyers, entrepreneurs and retired officers, to come forward and participate in public life. Our search is not limited to people with political backgrounds. Both wards have been reserved for women. “These two wards have a distinct residential profile, with a large number of professionals, senior citizens and economically well-established families. AAP’s search for professionals and fresh faces is not entirely new to its Chandigarh politics. However, the party has also faced the challenge of retaining its elected representatives, with eight councillors leaving for rival parties during the current municipal term.
Vijay Pal, president of AAP, Chandigarh, said, “We want more young people, particularly Gen Z, to enter public life and take an active role in shaping the city’s governance. We are looking for educated, professionally qualified and socially committed women who understand the issues of Chandigarh and are willing to work for the people,” said Pal.
