Arvind Kejriwal announces ‘Mission Vistaar’ to build AAP
Following the drubbing it received in the Lok Sabha elections and the increasing dissensions within the party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday announced plans to re-constitute party committees and involve more people in the decision-making process. In an effort to mobilise support and appease dissenting voices, the party also launched “Mission Vistaar” aimed at building party units from the district to national level.
Addressing the media on the conclusion of its three-day national executive meeting, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the party will focus on reconstituting its organisation from booth to national level.
“All volunteers of the party will go from one village to another and make people aware about the party’s ideology, get people to join the party and make a strong organisation to engage in honest politics. For this, the existing party units at every level will be re-organised,” Kejriwal said. He also announced the reconstitution of the two decision-making bodies — the PAC and the NE.
The announcement comes days after senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav resigned from the AAP’s political affairs committee and raised concerns about unbridled powers being given to Kejriwal. When asked about the contents of Yadav’s resignation letter, Kejriwal said, “Yogendraji is like an elder brother. If mistakes have been made, we need to be pulled up.” Another popular face of the party, Shazia Ilmi had earlier walked out alleging lack of inner democracy. While Kejriwal, on Saturday, said that he will reach out to Ilmi, the measures announced by the party concern the issues raised by both Ilmi and Yadav.
Explaining the restructuring of the AAP committees, Kejriwal said, “The national executive and national council will also be re-constituted so that people from various sections of the society can be a part of it. The national executive, after its reconstitution, will elect the political affairs committee.”
The committee will have members such Maharashtra state convenor Anjali Damania, PAC member Anand Kumar and Sanjay Singh, Bihar leader Parveen Amanullah, party spokespersons Ashutosh and Atishi Marlena, PAC member Krishnakant Savera, national secretary Pankaj Gupta and Purushottam Kumar while Ajit Jha will be a special invitee, he said.
Kejriwal also congratulated Narendra Modi for being elected as the country’s PM even as he raised several concerns – from rising gas prices to 100 per cent FDI in the defence sector.
