At its upcoming national council meet, the party must reboot so as to fulfill its dream of a corruption-free India
India Against Corruption, the anti-corruption movement that preceded the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party, saw millions of Indians take long sabbaticals from their jobs, to occupy the streets, demanding a corruption-free India. When the Aam Aadmi Party came into being, it came with a mandate to fill the vacuum that was created due to the non-existence of honest political parties in the country.
The AAP was an outcome of relentless efforts put in by millions of unpaid volunteers over several months. When the party achieved a historic sweep in Delhi in February this year, it was all set to take forward its indigenous brand of clean politics all over the country and live up to the people’s expectations. The journey started with a dream, but mutations are already visible under the leadership of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Events in the past few months, including Mr Kejriwal's open support to the Janata Dal (United), despite disagreement from many party leaders, has raised pertinent questions over the values of the party that it adhered to during its formation. An official show-cause notice to the internal pressure group, allegedly formed by the party volunteers, further shows that voices of dissent, no matter how well intentioned they may be, are losing their place inside the party.
Though the party takes pride in stating the absence of a central high command, it has been well recognised that opinions of only a few matters a lot more than others. The dissolution of
the Maharashtra unit is yet another example of high handedness and this was followed by the resignation of saner voices like social activist Mayank Gandhi from the national Executive as a mark of protest.
In such a scenario, the upcoming AAP national council meeting, scheduled on November 23, has assumed larger significance. The build up to this critical meeting has been shady, to say the least. The national council is the highest policy making body of the party and has pivotal roles to play, like electing the national Executive and amending the party’s constitution.
Only a few selected members have been invited for this national council meeting. Since the party's constitution only requires a 33 per cent attendance as the quorum for the meeting, it is a highly calculative step taken to serve the purpose of the leadership.
Additionally, the constitution requires a minimum of 21-day period for the party to circulate the agenda of the national council meeting, therefore, giving the members enough time to prepare their inputs. But curiously, with less than a week to go, no specific agenda about the meeting has been circulated to the members.
The previous meeting of the national council was a dark day in the history of the party with bouncers being deployed at the venue. The meeting saw Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav being kicked out of the party unceremoniously. It was far from what the volunteers, the people who helped build the party, expected to witness.
Another reason which makes this upcoming meeting so crucial is that the three-year term of the national Executive is coming to an end in the next few days. The constitution also clearly states that “no member will hold the same post as an office bearer for more than two consecutive terms of three years each”. Keeping this in mind, the national council must take this as an opportunity to groom the next set of leaders by giving them important posts in the party. A large army of able leaders is essential to keep the movement well and alive.
The AAP has been a party of many firsts. From being the first party to openly display its donor list on its website, to being the first party to organise mohalla sabhas, to ask for suggestions on how to run the Government, the AAP has lived up to its expectations in many areas.
Now with the party losing its ground among its well wishers, it may be an ideal time to telecast the live recording of the national council meeting, so that there are no speculations afterwards, as it happened last time. This will only strengthen the trust of the volunteers of the party and those who voted for the party.
Despite all the anomalies, party volunteers stand united with Mr Kejriwal. It is now upto the leadership to respond to the faceless and voiceless volunteers and steer the party back to the values from where it had emerged. The national council meeting gives a chance to show that the dream of a corruption-free India is still at the heart of the AAP.