AAP all set to contest polls, seeks funds from people to meet expenses

Mangalore, Jul 21: In preparation for its first electoral battle scheduled to be held in November in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has appealed for funds from the people of India, required for basic necessities like pamphlets and literature for contesting in the Delhi Legislative election, said treasurer of Karnataka AAP unit Chandrakanth.

Addressing the gathering at a party convention organised by the Dakshina Kannada unit in Balmatta on Sunday, he said that dedicated party volunteers chosen through a detailed, democratic process would contest in all the constituencies in the capital state in the upcoming elections.

He said that the volunteers had to undergo a comprehensive screening process to be selected as candidates for the elections. Each aspirant has to have a minimum of 100 signatures from each house in his chosen constituency to endorse his nomination, after which a team of intellectuals will review all the details of aspirants in each constituency and shortlist five among them. The list will then be presented to the people of that constituency who would choose the best of the shortlisted candidates, he said, stating that candidates had been finalised in 29 of the total 70 constituencies.

He said that about Rs 3.8 crores had been collected so far from people all over India, with the target being Rs 13-14 crores. Over 90 lakhs had been donated by the people of Karnataka, putting the state at second rank after Maharashtra, he said, adding that the aim of the party was to reach the people at the lowest rung of the society.

“The country has seen power changing hands from one national party to another over the years, while Aam Aadmi Party is fighting for change in the system itself. Today, every booth in a ward in the capital has upto ten volunteers, and every ward in the city has women's safety group to overcome problems faced by women. There are about 1.2 lakh people across India working as volunteers for the party,” he said, emphasizing that a change in the system was necessary, which was the aim of the party established by Arvind Kejriwal.

He said that the AAP would be formally launched as a political party on July 27 in Bangalore, after obtaining an approval from the Election Commission of India.

AAP state preparatory committee member Giridhar from Bangalore said that small-scale conventions had been recently held by Dharwad, Belgaum and Gadag, and would also be held in Udupi. After the formal launch of the state unit, the party will also hold district conventions, he said.

Secretary of Dakshina Kannada unit Rohan Shiri said that the district unit of the party convened regularly at the unit headquarters in Mangalore and held weekly meetings and worked towards local social causes. The unit also plans to take up a fight against the Netravathi diversion project and Niddodi thermal power plant in the coming days, he said.

Netravati diversion project

Speaking on the controversial Netravathi river diversion project, he said that several local like-minded organisations had to brought together to oppose the project, as it could not be done single-handedly. The project should be opposed on political, legal and moral grounds, and also at the student level. Experts should be consulted about the feasibility of the project, after which discussions should be held with other like-minded organisations, he said, adding that the struggle against the project would be given a fixed shape in the coming days.

Several party members of the district unit were present during the convention.