Party leaders use Kejriwal’s arrest to dispel cadres’ anger

Even though the Aam Aadmi Party is using Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest as a strategic weapon to dissipate volunteers’ anger, it seems to have little or no effect in placating them for its rout in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi. The AAP cadre is disappointed with the party high command’s style of functioning particularly during the Lok Sabha polls.

Though the AAP leaders have been assuring its cadres that it is restructuring the organisational set up to make it more democratic, Shazia Ilmi’s resignation from the party is expected to further intensify pressure on the AAP leadership to speed up the process. As it was evident during the meeting of the party’s workers on Friday, the party leadership requested volunteers to subside their anger and focus on the circumstances arsing out of Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest.

Appealing to the volunteers to postpone their demands for bringing more internal democracy in the functioning of the party, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said, “ I know that you are angry and want more internal democracy, but for now our main issue is that Mr. Kejriwal is in jail. I would appeal you to forget your anger and work for Mr. Kejriwal’s release.”

A section of its workers still demands accountability of the party’s leadership for its defeat even on the home turf.

“The party’s dismal performance in Delhi was shocking. It would not have happened had the party’s leadership taken local workers on board during the ticket distribution. Then, AAP leaders became cavalier in overestimating its potential and contested more than 400 seats, while ignoring Delhi,” said a worker from its New Delhi Assembly unit.

When AAP leader Manish Sisodia read Mr. Kejriwal’s letter from Tihar Jail, many seemed charged, but some were still in no mood to relent.

“Haar ki zimmedaari koun lega (who will take responsibility of defeat),” shouted one worker.

Several volunteers shouted that decisions should not be taken by a coterie in the party. Some of them demanded the Political Affairs Committee and the National Executive, the two decision-making bodies of the AAP, to be disbanded.

Party leaders also asked the cadres to write their queries and grievances on a paper.

“This system does not work as party hardly gets back on these questions,” an AAP volunteer said.