Ahmedabad, Apr 26 (IANS): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced that it will contest the Gujarat Assembly polls, scheduled later in the year, in alliance with the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP).

Addressing a joint press conference at the AAP office here, AAP state President Gopal Italia and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) national President and Dadiapada MLA Maheshbhai Vasava said that the BJP government has been in power for three decades, but "has not done anything about water, forest, land and tribal issues facing the state".

Italia charged that even the Congress, as principal opposition party, could not raise voice for the rights of tribal community.

The BTP and the AAP are working together for the uplift of the people of Gujarat.

Italia said tribal leader Chhotubhai Vasava has been fighting for the poor, labourers, tribals and deprived society for a long time.

"On May 1, on the occasion of the Gujarat Foundation Day, Kejriwal will address a large tribal Sankalp Maha Sammelan in Chanderia village of Bharuch district and Chhotubhai Vasava will roar for the basic rights and entitlements of the tribals," Italia added.

Maheshbhai Vasava said: "We have been in touch with AAP founder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal even before the AAP government came to power in Punjab."

Both parties need to work together for the prosperity of the tribals in Gujarat, Maheshbhai Vasava said.

On March 27, a delegation, led by Vasava, had met Kejriwal in Delhi.

The delegation visited government schools in the national capital, government-built hockey, football, cricket grounds and mohalla clinics and hospitals and was impressed by the works carried out by the Kejriwal-led AAP government.