Crisis has hit perception of AAP: Ashutosh

NEW DELHI: AAP leader Ashutosh dismissed the turmoil in party as basic teething problems on Thursday. He was speaking at a debate on the 2014 (general) and 2015 (Delhi) elections organized by the political science department at Hindu College.

"AAP is passing through a phase where it's transformation into a political party is not complete. That is the fundamental reason for this situation. This is a clash of ideas and it will remain," he said.

Ashutosh further explained that the problems are also a result of AAP roots in the anti-corruption movement. "Agitations are led by highly idealistic people. Politics is reality. A movement addresses one-two issues, a political party had to decide on each and every issue. A party requires robust systems, a movement can do without one. There are differences, I call these growing-up issues," he says.

However, he also argued that these crisis will "define" what ideological course the AAP takes in future. "This is a test of strength." "Please don't get disheartened," he told the students, "Every institution, everyone goes through this process."

He did, however, admitted that the party has taken a hit on the "perception level".