New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has recognised Aam Aadmi Party as a state party in the state of Goa. The Commission, which is responsible for conducting elections in India, made the announced on August 4, 2022. The party is already recognised as a state party in Punjab and Delhi. What is more is that the party is one step away from getting the status of national party. Simply put, it will get the status of the national party if it succeeds in one more state to get “state party” status.

The Election Commission made the decision after “observing the performance of the party in General elections and Assembly Elections in Goa, 2022.”

The Election Commission also noted the “party has fulfilled the conditions laid down in Para 6A of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968 for recognition as a state party in the state of Goa. Accordingly, the Commission has granted recognition to the Aam Aadmi Party as a State Party in the state of Goa also under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968.”

Notably, AAP succeeded in forming the government in recently held elections in Punjab with a landslide victory replacing Congress party. The Aam Aadmi Party gained a strong 79% majority in the sixteenth Punjab Legislative Assembly by winning 92 out of 117 seats. AAP Punjab convener and MP Bhagwant Mann was sworn in as Chief Minister on 16 March 2022. Mann ministry was formed with 10 cabinet ministers on 19 March 2022.

On 18 September 2021, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned over differences with other members of Congress and was succeeded by Charanjit Singh Channi. On 27 October 2021, Singh announced he would be forming a new party to contest the election. He officially resigned from Indian National Congress on 2 November 2021, and founded a new political party, Punjab Lok Congress.

Between June and November 2021, five AAP MLAs joined Congress.

In the 2021 Chandigarh Municipal Corporation election that occurred in December 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party won 14 seats and became the single largest party in the council of total 35 seats.

As of January 2022, four Congress MLAs joined BJP, one of which returned.

On 18 January 2022, AAP declared Bhagwant Mann as their Chief Ministerial candidate for the assembly election.

On 6 February, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi as their Chief Ministerial candidate.