New Delhi [India]April 6 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday said that getting national party status will boost the party in the upcoming state elections in Karnataka.
His remarks came after the Karnataka High Court asked Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to pass an order before April 13 regarding the national party status of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Singh said, ‘We welcome the decision of the Karnataka High Court. The court has sought a decision from the Election Commission before April 13. Now if the Election Commission has even an iota of morality, it should give our party the status of a national party, as we fulfill all the conditions required for it.
“We have governments in two states. In one state we have 14% votes and 5 MLAs and in another state we have 6.5% votes and 2 MLAs. Despite this, the Election Commission has not given us the status of a national party. What is the pressure on the Election Commission?” he adds.
The AAP leader said, ‘Now after the Karnataka High Court’s decision, the Election Commission has no option but to give us the status of a national party. This will definitely benefit the party in Karnataka and we will also get the benefits that a national party gets.
Advocate and AAP leader Brijesh Kalappa also reacted to the court’s decision and said the party approached the High Court after the Election Commission did not take a decision on the matter.
Speaking to ANI, “Just after the Gujarat elections, AAP wrote a letter to the CEC demanding the status of a national party as its vote share in four states was more than six per cent. But the Election Commission did not take any decision in this matter. Even when Karnataka election dates were announced it was said that our request is being considered.
“Subsequently, we decided to bring a direction from the High Court in the matter. The High Court has also directed the CEC to pass an order in the matter before April 13, as the election process would begin after that date.
Earlier in the day, the Karnataka High Court directed Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to pass an order before April 13 regarding the national party status of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Responding to the court’s direction, the CEC representative has confirmed that the same will be done on April 11.
This happened after AAP approached the Karnataka High Court regarding the “delay” in granting the party ‘national party’ status.
The petition was filed in the Karnataka HC by AAP Karnataka unit convenor Prithvi Reddy.
AAP has said in the petition that it fulfills all the conditions required to be designated as a national party, but despite this there has been a delay in granting the status to the party.
AAP also added to the petition that it is contesting all 224 seats in the Karnataka assembly elections, and getting recognition as a national party would be helpful for the party.
Assembly elections for 224 assembly seats in Karnataka will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.
This report has been auto generated from ANI News Service. ThePrint is not responsible for its content.