Serious differences emerge in AAP over expansion

NEW DELHI/JAIPUR: Serious differences have erupted in Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) over the party's future growth strategy and the functioning of its central leadership headed by Arvind Kejriwal. On one side are the Delhi CM, his deputy Manish Sisodia and a majority of party members; on the other, are senior leaders like Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, who have positioned themselves as the party's conscience keepers.

The issue that is roiling AAP is whether it should stay focused on Delhi or whether it should now think of expanding to other states. While the Kejriwal camp feels AAP's growth would largely be determined by the performance of its government in Delhi and it would be risky to focus elsewhere, Yadav and some others feel that the time was ripe for AAP to ride on the popular goodwill and seek to expand its influence in the other states.

Overlaying this are issues of inner-party democracy — on the alleged absence of debate as the dominant Kejriwal faction is being accused of forcing its views on the rest. Such are the differences now that AAP's 'internal Lokpal' Admiral L Ramdas, in a letter to the party's political advisory committee, has lamented the "abject breakdown in communication and mutual trust" in the top leadership.

In his letter, Ramdas appears to be in sympathy with Yadav-Bhushan camp as he says that "today we are a national party and we can no longer keep our vision limited to Delhi." He has also called for a debate to consider 'one-man, one-post' arrangement.