The first meeting of the newly-elected MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party was held on Monday at the Constitution Club here without any paraphernalia.
With excitement clearly visible on their faces, some leaders arrived in the party’s car-pool, some took private vehicles and a few preferred public transport to reach the venue.
Asked about the factors that led to their victory, most took the party’s official line of “a victory for the AAP is a victory for the common man”, but they singled out leader Arvind Kejriwal as a key force behind the stunning win.
Most of the winners were not flanked by a large number of supporters. Some wore caps with “ Main Hoon Vidhayak or I am an MLA” inscribed on them, in an apparent bid to distinguish themselves from party workers.
Veena Anand, who won the Patel Nagar seat, said: “The fact that you [journalists] have not recognised me shows I am a sewak [public servant] and not a shasak [ruler]. The aam aadmi [common man] has made me win. The Aam Aadmi Party has made me win”.
Others credited the “failure” of the two established parties — the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party — to live up to the electorate’s expectations for the AAP’s success. Bandana Kumari, who defeated incumbent MLA and BJP candidate Ravinder Nath Bansal to bag the Shalimar Bagh constituency, said the BJP leader never came out on the streets to understand the grievances of the people.
She also said the Congress had become indifferent to the area.
On whether the party will stake a claim to form the government, most said the final decision will be taken by Mr. Kejriwal.
The meeting started around 7 p.m. and lasted for nearly two hours, with AAP candidates who lost the elections also joining it mid-way.
