JOIN USThe dinner hosted by the Aam Aadmi party (AAP) to raise funds, left several high networth individuals satisfied and a few others unhappy.
However, the fundraiser brought to the AAP kitty no less than Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh, say party sources.
The dinner, scheduled to begin at 8.30 pm, started only by 9.15 pm as its leader Arvind Kejriwal was delayed at a similar event in the City.
According to Sharief K M, a software professional, the primary focus of Kejriwal was security of the nation, speedy disposal of cases in courts and a strong anti-corruption mechanism.
He believed that most of the ills plaguing the country would be tackled by default, if problems like corruption and those related to security and judicial system are addressed, said Sharief.
The invitees are learnt to have quizzed Kejriwal over the Somnath Bharti controversy on spamming business. Kejriwal is learnt to have said that the issue was being investigated by the AAP and it would come out with an appropriate response to the allegations.
George Verghese, an entrepreneur, said Kejriwal’s responses to the issue of corruption were widely accepted by the audience. “While Kejriwal did not touch upon any of the foreign or defence policies, he has provided us with a booklet on economic policy,” said Verghese.
The fundraiser also left several people with a lot to be desired. A banker said Kejriwal and his agenda required clarity. He likened Kejriwal to an ‘innocent child’ whose intentions are pure, but does not have capacity to execute them. The banker said the AAP left unanswered a lot of questions on the economic policy which it intends to pursue.
Kejriwal’s allegations against Gujarat infuriated Deepak, a Chartered Accountant by profession. He said that AAP needed to look at development before hurling allegations against others.
“He states that 800 farmers died in Gujarat under Modi. But in reality, Gujarat has developed far better than most other states,” he said.
No official communication on the funds collected and topics discussed was provided by AAP. Kejriwal left the venue without speaking to the media.