Social activist Medha Patkar announced that she would contest the forthcoming lok Sabha poll from Maharashtra. While announcing her decision, Patkar said that she, her supporters and groups supporting her were yet to zero in on the constituency from which she would contest the poll.
Sources close to her said that though the AAP had requested her to contest the poll on its ticket, Patkar was instead seriously contemplating contesting as an Independent. “We will decide on the constituency and the banner, if any, under which I will contest the polls in the next few days,” Patkar said, while not ruling out the possibility of her contesting the polls as an Independent.
Talking to the media, Patkar said that her decision to contest the lS poll stemmed from the requests she has been receiving from various social groups with which she is associated and also political groups that were supporting her. “At a meeting held here on Wednesday, senior social workers and leaders representing socialist and leftist movements insisted that I contest the forthcoming lok Sabha polls. AAP has also been asking me to contest the lok Sabha polls on its ticket. The AAP has told me that it would support me even if I contest as an Independent. I will take a call on this (whether to contest as an AAP nominee or as an Independent) in the next few days,” she said.
Patkar’s announcement to contest the lok Sabha comes exactly a month after the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), with which she has long been associated, threw its weight behind the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP. While announcing the support of the various people’s movement outfits with which she is involved, Patkar had said on January 13: "We extend our full support to Aam Aadmi Party. While AAP’s main plank is fighting corruption, we have also been fighting corruption through crusades against scams like Adarsh (housing society) and lavasa".
In a joint statement issued separately, Patkar and other NAPM leaders had stated then: “We consider the attempt of AAP as a movement and appreciate the endeavour to fill in the political vacuum. It’s because the AAP is following the movement ways, giving regard to mass participation and bringing in simplicity and selfless service into politics that many comrades and colleagues in various people’s movements have decided to extend our active support to AAP”.
Patkar has long been associated with groups like Narmada Bachao Andolan, Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan (Maharashtra), Jan Sangharsh Vahini (Delhi), lok Shakti Abhiyan (Orissa), Kosi Baadh Prabhavit Sangharsh Samiti and Jan Jaagran Shakti Sangathan (Bihar) and Unorganised Sector Workers Federation (South India). The AAP’s announcement of support to her notwithstanding, Patkar is likely to contest the lok Sabha polls as an Independent with the support of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, leftist parties and various social groups.