Vishwas for AAP 2.0, wants ousted leaders to return
NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder-member Kumar Vishwas on Sunday called for creating a “version 2” of the party.
Vishwas said that the AAP should work towards creating version 2.0 of the party where all who had left the outfit came back together and started working on the core values set five years ago.
The poet-politician, who has been at loggerheads with the party’s top leadership, said he would travel across the country and meet the party’s oldest volunteers for the purpose.
“I wish to get all those who were part of the anti-corruption movement, and left us due to various reasons, back in the party,” he said after the meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
No other senior AAP leaders attended the meeting that started at noon and took place under a heavy security cover.
Vishwas said AAP needed an ‘anti-virus’ to again emerge as a political alternative to challenge the BJP and the Congress.
“Over five lakh people attended our anti-corruption rallies in 2011-12. And there were not even 5,000 people in the national convention held recently. This is where we need to introspect,” he said, referring to the party’s convention on November 26 where he had attacked the party for ‘drifting away’ from its vision.
“The Centre is hatching conspiracies against the party which is doing so well in Delhi. We have to come together and face all the challenges,” said Vishwas, suggesting that estranged leaders such as Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav be approached to join the party again.
“Anyone sacked legally can be brought back after following proper procedure. If someone has not joined or floated a political party, we can bring them back. There is a long list. Anjali Damania, Mayank Gandhi, Prashan Bhushan...” he said.
Vishwas, the Rajasthan in-charge of AAP, has been at odds with the top leadership after suspended MLA Amanatullah Khan was reinstated in the party in October this year. He said that party’s national convenor and his ‘friend’ Arvind Kejriwal will support his suggestions.
VISHWAS APOLOGISES FOR ABUSIVE AUDIO CLIP
Vishwas, meanwhile, apologised for using ‘unparliamentary’ language in an audio clip circulated on social media in which he was heard lashing out at party leadership for allegedly sidelining him.