Raipur: After its landslide victory in Punjab, the AAP has now set its eyes on Chhattisgarh with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party deciding to contest the assembly polls in the tribal-dominated state next year. As part of the plan, senior AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai embarked on a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh to set in motion his party’s preparations for the assembly elections in the state currently ruled by the Congress.

AAP’s Purvanchal wing in charge and Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha accompany Mr Rai to Chhattisgarh. During his visit, Mr Rai held a series of meetings with AAP leaders and workers to chalk out the party’s “action plan” for the upcoming assembly polls and also launch “a massive” membership drive in the state, a party leader said. He inaugurated the party’s state office in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur on Sunday.

On Monday, he participated in a ‘Vijay Yatra’ (victory march), to be taken out by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Raipur on Monday to mark the party’s stupendous victory in Punjab, a party leader added. Mr Rai, who is AAP’s Delhi convenor, said the party has decided to contest the Chhattisgarh assembly polls next year as people of the state, especially youth and women, are disappointed with the Congress government and want a “change”.

During its over three-and-a-half years regime so far, the Congress has also “completely failed” in fulfilling the promises that it made to the people of the state, he said. “While the Congress is plagued by internal fights, there is so much disappointment among the people of the state, especially youth, women and tribals. They have seen the BJP regime and the Congress too. Now, they want to change,” Rai said.