Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the party workers after the Election Commission granted AAP the national party status on Monday, and said that the development in "such a short time" is "nothing less than a miracle".
The Election Commission said the AAP has been named as a national party based on its electoral performance in four states - Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.
People of country have even huge responsibility: Kejriwal
Kejriwal said that the people of the country have given them a huge responsibility.
"National party in such a short time? This is nothing less than a miracle. Many congratulations to all. Crores of people of the country have taken us here. People expect a lot from us. Today people have given us this huge responsibility. Lord, bless us to fulfill this responsibility well," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
"It's a big thing for us. This wouldn't have been possible without people's support. People are with us. We want God to give strength to Arvind Kejriwal to keep on moving forward," said Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on ECI granting national party status to AAP.
The party is currently in power in two states - Delhi and Punjab.
Hard work has paid off: Bhagwant Mann
"Congratulations to the dreams of AAP team captain Arvind Kejriwal ji..Congratulations to the crores of team members..Hard work has paid off....Eyewitness of AAP's revolution... ," Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted.
AAP was founded on November 26, 2012, following India Against Corruption movement in 2011. The party formed its government in Delhi and spread its legs to Punjab last year. The party contested in Gujarat and secured 5 seats last year in December.
In a significant decision, the Election Commission on Monday recognised Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party and withdrew this recognition given to the Nationalist Congress Party, CPI and Trinamool Congress.
Other parties recognised and derecognised by EC
In other decisions, the poll panel gave recognition to Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) as a state party in Nagaland and Tipra Motha Party was recognised as a state party in Tripura. Bharat Rashtra Samithi has been derecognised as a state party in Andhra Pradesh.
The poll panel also withdrew the state party status of Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh and of Revolutionary Socialist Party in West Bengal.
The Voice of the People Party got recognition as a state party in Meghalaya.
Tipra Motha Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Voice of the People Party got recognition as state parties based on their recent performance in the assembly polls earlier this year in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively.
AAP rules Delhi and Punjab. Apart from Delhi and Punjab, it got national party status based on its performance in Gujarat and Goa. It is a recognised state party in Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat and Goa.
AAP has been looking for a national footprint and has contested polls in several states.
