Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to focus only on Delhi for the next five years and desist from expanding AAP has left volunteers across the country feeling betrayed.

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to focus only on Delhi for the next five years and desist from expanding the Aam Aadmi Party’s footprint beyond the capital state has left volunteers across the country feeling betrayed. They believe they have been used and dumped by the AAP’s leadership.

“We didn’t go to Delhi only to campaign for its assembly election. The objective behind it was to take AAP beyond Delhi once it won. We don’t know why a handful of leaders in Delhi are saying no to AAP’s expansion in other states. What is the utility of the sacrifice of so many volunteers from all over India? Was their effort meant only to bring Kejriwal to power?” questioned a Mumbai-based volunteer, who campaigned in Delhi in February.

The issue of expansion has been the bone of contention between Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav. The latter strongly advocated moving to Haryana, Punjab and Bihar among other states after forming government in Delhi and emerge as a national alternative.

In a joint letter to the National Executive (NE), Bhushan and Yadav mentioned that despite the majority in the NE wanting the state units to decide autonomously on state polls, Kejriwal overturned the decision.

Upset, frustrated and disillusioned by the recent turn of events in Delhi that began at the party’s National Executive and Kejriwal’s stoic silence thereafter, thousands of volunteers in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chennai and elsewhere have tried to communicate their restlessness and concern through various means.

Meanwhile, the AAP volunteers in Karnataka moved a resolution on 14 March in Bengaluru, unanimously demanding to bring back Yadav and Bhushan in the Political Affairs Committee, from where the duo were ousted on March 4.

“The present dispute within the AAP has conveyed a negative message across the country. Arvind Kejriwal is our undisputed leader and under his leadership we want the political change that took place in Delhi to spread elsewhere. Like in Delhi, corruption is in every state. We need to go beyond Delhi and redress the grievances of the people,” says Vinod MS, a former bank manager and convener, AAP, Mysore district.

Historian and AAP member, Rajmohan Gandhi in his article in Sunday Tribune pointed out, “Kejriwal cannot bring about the revolution he wants on his own or with the aid only of people he is comfortable with. Occasionally, he’ll need the comradeship of those whom he might find difficult but who may have valuable ideas, talents and perspectives, and whose commitment has earned the trust of number of people including many AAP volunteers.”

Echoing a similar view, Dr Manjit Singh, an author and professor of Sociology, Punjab University (Chandigarh) added, “People are emotionally attached to AAP due to its ideology like Swaraj (internal democracy), and people responded to Kejriwal’s call. The leaders within AAP need to understand and respond to the sentiments of volunteers, because unlike any other political party, the capital of AAP is its volunteers and workers. They are the backbone of AAP, and not mere followers.”

Broadly, the volunteers across the spectrum have a common set of demands:

· Bring back internal democracy within AAP.

· Strengthen internal Lokpal/grievance redressal mechanism.

· Expand AAP beyond Delhi and grant autonomy to state units.

Observes a volunteer from Tarn Taran district in Punjab: “Such was the popularity of Kejriwal that people used to bring their children to seek his blessings when he visited Punjab ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He was considered an icon who would revolutionise Indian politics. But whatever is happening at present is shocking. This is a challenge for Kejriwal, he should speak out and resolve the issue forever, or else it will cause a huge damage to the party.”

As a mark of protest, volunteers in Chandigarh reportedly observed ‘Maunvrat’ (pledge of silence) on Sunday for a “united AAP” and undertook a signature campaign demanding a stronger internal Lokpal to resolve the growing dissension within the party.

“Lot of volunteers like me idolise you as a leader. Please don’t leave us in this state of dilemma. We all want the party to remain intact, with all the leaders united. We want you to lead us from the front in this hour of crisis, and we’re sure this crisis will soon be over. May God bless you sir”. (sic) This is just one of the text messages that a Delhi-based volunteer sent to the Delhi Chief Minister.

Karan Singh of AAP Volunteers’ Action Manch (AVAM), a splinter group of AAP says, “AVAM was formed in 2014, when for the first time volunteers got frustrated, as the party’s top leadership, including Kejriwal, stopped listening to their grievances and demands. It was the coterie comprising a select few around him that took over the decision-making process. It’s against the basic principles of AAP that talks about Swaraj (internal democracy), but in practice, the party never follows it. Whosoever raises questions is shown the door. It happened with us. And, it has worsened now.”

Now, with Kejriwal getting back to Delhi after completing his treatment, the volunteers are eagerly waiting to see whether their undisputed leader would finally take the call to save the party.