The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is cautious in admitting members from traditional political parties. It is, however, adopting an open door policy for social activists of different ideological hues ahead of 2014 polls.
The AAP is negotiating with Gandhians, socialists, Ambedkarites and Marxists who are active at the grassroot level to join the party and participate in the 2014 polls.
“There is a need to be cautious about those who are working with mainstream political parties like Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. We do not say all of them are dishonest and corrupt, but it is not good for the health of the party to allow them an easy entry without knowing their credentials,” said a senior leader of the party. The two-day meeting of AAP executive that concluded on Sunday saw some district and state level old timers in mainstream politics moving around in the venue of the meeting at the Constitution Club in New Delhi to negotiate an “honourable entry”.
Since the party structure does not give scope of allocating posts to these people, they are being asked to first take ordinary membership.
“You should contact our local leader,” an executive committee member of the AAP told an important former office bearer of the Delhi Congress Committee. But, the party is in negotiation with experienced and credible social activists in different states in order to have credible faces to contest the parliamentary elections and work for the party during polls.
Recently, Ranga Rachure, an old socialist joined the party along with some local leaders in Marthawada region of Maharashtra.