The AAP has named jailed chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his wife Sunita — who doesn’t hold a post in the party — the top two “star campaigners” for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann is in third place, followed by Manish Sisodia, a jailed former minister, and Sandeep Pathak, the party’s general secretary (organisation).
The AAP is contesting two seats in Gujarat as part of the INDIA bloc.
National and state parties can name up to 40 star campaigners. The expenses for their events are billed to the party and not the candidate. Parties have no cap on spending.
The AAP has been using Sunita — a former revenue officer like her husband — to make emotional appeals to the electorate on behalf of her husband who is in jail awaiting trial in the excise policy case.
Sisodia has appealed for bail to allow him to campaign for the poll. Kejriwal is expected to do the same, depending on the progress of Sisodia’s plea.
