Moga, Punjab (June 03, 2014): After giving a surprising performance in Punjab state during parliamentary elections by winning four LS seats and leading at 33 Punjab assembly segments, the AAP has been recongnised as a state party by the election commission.

Notably, the party is planning to contest by-elections at three Punjab assembly seats in Punjab including Talwani Sabo, Patiala and Dhuri.

“On the basis of the review of poll performance of the Aam Aadmi Party at the General election to the Lok Sabha, 2014, it is seen that the party presently recognised as the state party in the NCT of Delhi with Broom as its symbol has fulfilled conditions laid down in Para 6 of the Election Symbol Order 1968 for recognition as a state party in Punjab,” the EC said in a letter to the party.

The news of recognisation as a state party would surely work as oxygen to the AAP as some leaders have deserted the party after it failed to win even a single seat across the country except Punjab. The people of Delhi also seemed to be displeased with the party as it could not do enough in the national capital.

To be recognised as a state party, it has to get a minimum of 6 per cent of votes in that particular state in either general or state assembly elections.

AAP received 24.4 per cent of the total votes in Punjab and secured a lead in some 33 Assembly segments while coming second in 25 others. It bagged two per cent lesser votes than the ruling SAD, which got over 26 per cent votes. Despite the high vote share of 33 per cent, Congress managed to win only three seats while AAP and SAD both won 4 seats each and BJP bagged two seats with a vote share of 8.7 per cent.

Among four of its candidates, who won in LS elections, are Dr Dharamvir Gandhi from Patiala, Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur, Prof Sadhu Singh from Faridkot and Harinder Singh Khalsa from Fatehgarh Sahib.