‘Divided’ AAP going back on its principles, says BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seems to be going back on the principles that it espoused. BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said the internal war within the AAP is out in the open.

“And what one can make out from the media and what is being said by different people in the media is that this fight seems to be going back to the root, the creation of Aam Aadmi Party and the principles it has always espoused,” said Kohli. “It is up to Mr. Kejriwal to decide whether he wants to proceed that way or not and what should be the outcome; it is for the Aam Aadmi Party and its members to decide. Even the founding members have been removed,” he added. Kohli further said the AAP should fulfill its promises as the people of Delhi have given them a huge majority and mandate in the assembly polls. “One wonders whether the AAP would be able to fulfill the promises made to the people,” he added.

In a second blog published after the March 4 meeting of the AAP’s national executive, senior 'dissident volunteer' Mayank Gandhi has said that a concerted attempt is being made through the social media to describe him as antiparty and anti-Arvind Kejriwal. Reiterating his demand for the publication of the minutes of the March 4 meeting of the national executive in the interest of the AAP's espoused principles of nation first, party next and individuals last, Gandhi said, "A small group of party decision makers in Delhi have already removed me from the informal BBM group. Attacks have begun against me from Ashish Khetan and others. Some dissatisfied members from Maharashtra have started giving interviews against me, some old cases are being re-opened. A concerted attempt is being made in social media to call me anti-party and anti-AK."

Warning that he would be going ahead with his plans to seek the support of as many AAP volunteers as possible to strengthen the party and the principles that it has espoused, Gandhi said that the ‘party is only a vehicle to serve the nation ; and individuals merely tools’.

"The blogs are an exhortation to our volunteers, supporters and donors, not to disengage nor become negative, but to engage more with the party and force the leaders to truly build AAP into a party of our dreams : a model party based on principles of participation, accountability, transparency, decentralisation and integrity. A party that will force other political parties to follow our example and improve governance and political activity in the nation. AAP volunteers need to demonstrate how we are the real owners of the party and bring back the founding principles into the party," he stated further.

Maintaining that thousands from all over the world were waiting – some crying, some sleepless and most worried, over what was happening within the rank and file of the AAP, Gandhi said his blogs were not against any individual nor should be seen as a challenge to the party’s leadership but as a campaign to restore principles of transparency, participation, accountability and freedom from arrogance, projected and promoted in the recent past by Arvind Kejriwal.