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An attempt by opponents of the Notley government to take over the NDP by buying party memberships — dubbed the “kudatah” on social media — attracted a significant response, a party official acknowledged at the NDP’s weekend convention.

Mimi Williams, president of the NDP’s Whitecourt-Ste. Anne constituency association, said in an interview Sunday the party received and rejected more than 1,000 memberships it believes were associated with anti-NDP activists.

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Williams had been assigned by the party to vet membership applications after George Clark, organizer of the Albertans First petition campaign, called in February for opponents of the government to purchase NDP memberships in a bid to force changes in party policy.

She said she examined the social media feeds and political donation history of potential members as she went through applications.

“If you don’t share the principles of our party and the aims of our party, then you shouldn’t want to join our party,” said Williams.