New Delhi: Dissent within Aam Aadmi Party came to the fore as the party's foot-soldiers questioned the leadership over the debacle in the Lok Sabha election and demanded dissolution of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), even as party leaders tried to pacify them.
At a meeting organised to discuss future course of action for the party after its convener Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody was extended, many volunteers sought answers about the functioning within the party. Some volunteers were seen holding placards with messages "Who will own the responsibility of defeat (in the Lok Sabha elections)?" and "PAC should be dissolved" at the meeting.
In a bid to pacify them, party leaders asked the cadre to write their queries and grievances on a paper, which many did even as a few grumbled. "This system does not work as party hardly gets back on these questions," an AAP volunteer said.
Party leaders, however, admitted there was a lack of communication with the party volunteers, but tried to rejuvenate them with encouraging talks. "There has been a lack of communication in the party because of the limited resources," party Delhi unit secretary and AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey told volunteers.
"We admit that we have faults and we have to build the organisation. We have to improve the system," party leader and Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member Gopal Rai said. "Congress is more than 125 years old and we are just one and half years old. Still we have done good," he said.
Senior party leader Manish Sisodia applauded the cadres for their work despite the dismal performance saying its vote share had increased in the Lok Sabha polls compared to Delhi elections. "Who says we have not done well? Ours is a one and half year old party and we have managed to increase our vote share from 29 per cent to 33 per cent. Our candidate in Udaipur has managed to get more than 1.5 lakh votes where senior party leaders did not campaign," Sisodia said.
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