‘AAP candidates need proper training in Chhattisgarh’

Many party members have complained that AAP lacks any formal structure in the state.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seeking to expand in numerous states, including Chhattisgarh, after winning a landslide victory in Punjab. However, members of the party believe that the AAP needs to go a long way because neither the senior members nor the authorities are capable of effectively training the party’s workers in the state.

“There is no strong face in AAP of Chhattisgarh. Honestly, as an AAP member, I feel that the AAP candidates here need proper training. People, on the ground level, are not working hard enough. Although we are getting responses both online and offline, a lot needs to be done. It is again going to be a bipolar election if AAP continues to work like this,” an AAP member in Chhattisgarh told The Sunday Guardian.

Similarly, other sources within the party have also claimed that AAP needs fresh candidates, who understand Chhattisgarh properly. Party workers have claimed that unless there is are fresh faces, there is no chance of AAP winning Chhattisgarh. Many members associated with the AAP have some hopes from the AAP leader Dr Sandeep Pathak, but again they have claimed that the party needs a lot of effort to enhance its presence in the state. Many party members have complained that AAP lacks any formal structure in the state, many upper-level workers in the party do not like to interact with the lower-level party workers, and such an attitude creates a gap among the party workers. Another AAP worker, on the condition of anonymity, told this paper, “AAP has a presence on paper but people in the party don’t work much. Being a party member, I can see a lack of interaction between the party workers and the public. In Delhi, we have seen that CM Arvind Kejriwal interacts with the people on the ground and in the case of Punjab, we have also seen the same thing; but here, higher rank party members hardly interact with the public.” Speaking about the CM face, he said, “We are hoping some possibility of Dr Sandeep Pathak to be the CM face, but it is too early to commit anything. I believe that the people of Chhattisgarh would be happy if Dr Pathak would become the CM face. However, at present, the party needs to work properly. There are several people in the party who are working against the party so, filtration is necessary. Choosing the right candidates is an absolute need of the hour.” Also, AAP member Dr Sandeep Pathak stated that other prominent figures from various political parties in Chhattisgarh have expressed an interest in joining AAP, but that the names will be revealed after the survey is completed. The Sunday Guardian approached AAP spokesperson, Advocate Priyanka Shukla, to seek information about the developmental works being carried out in the state. “We have started campaigns to reach core zones. In every Zila, we have a team of 11 members who take care of several wings like the youth wing and so on; however, commutation is a big hurdle in the core regions.” Meanwhile, she also said that there is presently no discussion on who can be the CM face in Chhattisgarh. The state will be divided into three zones. Claiming that the party has received a good response from Bastar, AAP leader Komal Hupendi told this paper, “Around 1.5 lakh people have joined us. We will divide Chhattisgarh into three zones-central, North and South. We have organised our party at Zila level, booth level and so on.” Addressing a press meet, AAP minister Gopal Rai said that a public forum would be held in several villages and districts from 25 May to 25 June to discuss local issues.