NEW DELHI: A group of volunteers calling themselves the Aam Aadmi Party Volunteers Action Manch (AVAM) has raised questions regarding the absence of democracy in AAP, even as the party is working hard to restructure and regroup.

While AVAM members claim that they are not opposed to AAP but are working for the party, AAP claims that they are already doing much more than AVAM has demanded and if the latter continues to stick to its stand, it can only be read as an ego issue.

On Tuesday, AVAM wrote to the party’s national council and put out a video clip, showing AAP founder member Shanti Bhushan complimenting the group on its initiative. Bhushan said: “AVAM is a very good system and organization which was made in the party so that the volunteers could air their grievances and AAP’s contact with party workers remained intact. AVAM is doing a good job and it should spread its work across the country."

However, senior AAP members claim that Bhushan was not even aware of the activities of AVAM and only issued a general statement. The differences between AAP and AVAM was out in the open after tweets by both on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The volunteer group claims to have become active within the party last month, after Karan Singh, in-charge of the party’s volunteer engagement, was expelled on disciplinary grounds. Saman Quraishi, another volunteer and member of AVAM says that the expulsion was unfair and they had demanded for an inquiry into the reasons that led the party to take such an action.

AVAM has also submitted a list of demands to the national executive that include making public list of active and ordinary members in each ward, a new candidate selection process and for decision making bodies like parliamentary affairs committee and national executive to have members elected by volunteers.

“We are as much part of the party as Arvind Kejriwal but AAP is refusing to engage with us. This has become and AVAM vs AAP issue whereas we are working within the party system. AAP is not just about Kejriwal and we need more leaders taking responsibility for this organization," said Quraishi.

AAP leaders, meanwhile, said that while every volunteer and party worker would be heard, it was not necessary that all opinions would be taken on board.