AAP to launch massive membership drive in southern states, take out foot marches

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to launch a massive membership drive in the southern states to build on the momentum of its stupendous victory in the Punjab Assembly polls.

The party will start its membership drive in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, senior AAP leader Somnath Bharti said on Friday.

"After the thunderous victory of the party in Punjab, people from the southern regions have started showing interest in the politics of our party. We are receiving an unprecedented response from southern India," he told reporters.

"Seeing the mood of the people and taking into account the response that our teams in the southern states have been receiving, we have decided to kick off membership campaigns throughout the region," he added.

Bharti said the membership drive will be carried out by the party's local teams.

"These campaigns will actively penetrate deep into Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep," he said.

"I call upon all those who feel the need to bring a change in Indian politics to join the AAP and be a part of the revolution," he said.

The AAP leader said his party has also decided to take out foot marches across the southern states in phases.

"This sequence will begin on April 14 on Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary with our first foot march in Telangana. We will cover each and every assembly constituency of the region. Through these foot marches, we will take the politics of Kejriwal ji and the ideals of Babasaheb and Bhagat Singh to every resident of the region," said Bharti.

"We will highlight the difference that the AAP has made in the lives of all those who live in Delhi," he said.

The AAP has its units in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The party had contested the assembly polls in Karnataka and Telangana in 2018 as part of its efforts to make inroads into south India but could not open its account.