’Nothing less than a miracle’, Kejriwal on AAP getting national party status ’in such short time’

With Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) getting national party status, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated his party workers, calling the achievement "nothing less than a miracle". He also thanked the people of the country for their support, acknowledging the great responsibility that came with the new status.

The party has been granted national party status by the Election Commission of India (ECI) based on its electoral performance in four states: Delhi, Goa, Punjab, and Gujarat. This recognition makes the party eligible for contesting elections in all states and territories of India, and also grants it certain benefits, including access to reserved party symbols, more free airtime on state-run media outlets during elections, and greater funding from the government.

AAP currently holds power in two states, Delhi and Punjab, and had secured 5 seats in Gujarat in the last election.

The AAP was founded in 2012 in the wake of the India Against Corruption movement, and it rose to power in Delhi in 2015 with a sweeping victory in the state assembly elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party contested in multiple states, including Punjab, Haryana, Goa, and Delhi, but failed to make a significant impact nationally.

The ECI also recognised the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) as a state party in Nagaland, and the Tipra Motha Party as a state party in Tripura, while derecognising Bharat Rashtra Samithi as a state party in Andhra Pradesh, and the Rashtriya Lok Dal and Revolutionary Socialist Party as state parties in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, respectively. The Voice of the People Party also received recognition as a state party in Meghalaya.

The recognition of the AAP as a national party is a significant milestone for the party, as it seeks to expand its presence across India. The party has often been criticised for its lack of a clear ideology and its tendency to focus on personality-based politics, but it has also gained popularity for its emphasis on issues such as anti-corruption, education, and healthcare.