AAP gets panel to sort out stance on economy; Sanjeev Aga, Meera Sanyal in seven-member team

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party's much-awaited meeting to formulate its stand on economic issues remained inconclusive on Sunday - a day when the BJP formally articulated its economic vision for the country.

After a five-hour long meeting, top leaders of Delhi's ruling AAP announced the formation of a committee to further debate, discuss and seek industry's feedback on the issue.

Former CEO of Idea Cellular Sanjeev Aga, noted economists Aseem Srivastava and Laveesh Bhandari, and former banker Meera Sanyal are part of the seven-member team that has been tasked with clarifying AAP's stance towards business and industry. AAP's Karnataka in-charge Prithvi Reddy will be the convenor of this panel, expected to complete the job in a month.

Speaking to ET on the objective of this group, Bhandari said, "Yes, I am advising them. The objective should be to create an inclusive and stable economic environment where Indian and foreign investors have the necessary freedom to invest and the people can benefit from new opportunities without dependence on subsidies."

Aga, however, was more circumspect on his role. " I don't want to say much except that it's a group of people getting together to figure out what is good for the country," he said.

According to some AAP members present in the meeting, the party discussed issues including inflation, unemployment, rural economy and encouraging entrepreneurial spirit.

The party has already sought inputs of economists and leading names in the corporate sector such as Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Mohandas Pai and V Balakrishnan. "We feel we need a holistic and balanced approach towards economic policy," said panel member Atishi Marlena, justifying the decision to take more time on formulation of its paper on economic issues.