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Aam Aadmi Party (translation: Common Man's Party; abbreviated AAP) is an Indian political party, formally launched on 26 November 2012. It came into existence following differences between the activists Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare regarding whether or not to politicise the popular India Against Corruption movement that had been demanding a Jan Lokpal Bill since 2011. Hazare preferred that the movement should remain politically unaligned while Kejriwal felt the failure of the agitation route necessitated a direct political involvement.

The AAP has led several protests since its formation, including a campaign against a perceived nexus between government and private corporations relating to price rises for electricity and water in Delhi; fighting for justice for victims of sexual harassment and rape; and demanding a strong anti-rape law in India.

Background

The origins of the AAP can be traced to a difference of opinion between Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare, social activists who had both been involved in Team Anna, a strand of the anti-corruption movement for Jan Lokpal Bill that had gained momentum in India during 2011 and 2012. Hazare had wanted to keep the movement politically neutral but Kejriwal considered that direct involvement in politics was necessary because attempts to obtain progress regarding the Jan Lokpal Bill through talks with existing political parties had, in his opinion, achieved nothing. A survey conducted by the India Against Corruption organisation using social networking services had indicated that there was wide support for politicisation.

Hazare and Kejriwal agreed on 19 September 2012 that their differences regarding a role in politics were irreconcilable. Kejriwal had support from some well-known people involved in the anti-corruption movement, such as Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, but was opposed by others such as Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde. On 2 October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Kejriwal announced that he was forming a political party and that he intended the formal launch to be 26 November, coinciding with the anniversary of India's adoption of its constitution in 1949.

The party name reflects the phrase Aam Aadmi, or "common man", whose interests Kejriwal proposed to represent. A party constitution was adopted on 24 November 2012, when a National Council comprising 320 people and a National Executive of 23 were also formed. Both the Council and the Executive were expected to have more members in due course, with the intention being that all districts and all classes of people would have a voice. Various committees were to be formed to draft proposals for adoption by the party in a process that was expected to take several months. . Although one aim was to limit nepotism, there were complaints at this initial meeting that the selection of people invited to attend was itself an example of such practices The party was formally launched in Delhi on 26 November and in March 2013 it was registered as a political party by the Election Commission of India.

Ideology

The AAP believe that the promise of equality and justice that forms a part of the constitution of India and its preamble has not been fulfilled and that the independence of India has replaced enslavement to an oppressive foreign power with that to a political elite. The party claims that the common people of India remain unheard and unseen except when it suits the politicians to consider them. It wants to reverse the way that the accountability of government operates and has taken an interpretation of the Gandhian concept of swaraj as a tenet. It believes that through swaraj the government will be directly accountable to the people instead of higher officials. The swaraj model lays stress on self governance, community building and decentralisation.

Kejriwal says AAP refuses to be guided by ideologies and that they are entering politics to change the system: "We are aam aadmis. If we find our solution in the left we are happy to borrow it from there. If we find our solution in the right, we are happy to borrow it from there."

Agenda

They plan to give power back to the people of India by creating systems whereby elected politicians will be directly responsible to their constituents. To this effect, the AAP has suggested making systemic changes in the working of government to make it more transparent and accountable.

As of August 2013, the AAP is proposing to introduce five primary policies:

• Jan Lokpal legislation
• Right to Reject
• Right to Recall
• Political decentralisation
• Measures to restrain rising prices in "critical commodities" such as fuel, energy, water and food.

Awareness campaigns

The party has conducted public awareness campaigns to educate people about "right to reject" and requested Election Commissions of certain States to allow voters to exercise their right to reject in electronic voting machines.

RTI campaign

The AAP party is one of the few political parties of India who have supported and accepted the Central Information Commission's order of RTI Act applicable to political parties. AAP has disclosed details of those who have donated to it.

Support

On 26 November 2012, the formal launch day of the AAP, the former law minister, Shanti Bhushan, donated ₹10 million (US$120,000). Prashant Bhushan, his son, is member of the party's National Executive Committee.

On 18 May 2013, a group of Indian-Americans from 20 different cities in the USA held a convention in Chicago and extended support to the AAP. The convention was attended by two AAP leaders, Kumar Vishwas and Yogendra Yadav, and Kejriwal addressed it via video conferencing. Aruna Roy and Medha Patkar, who had differences with Kejriwal on certain issues, supported him after his 15 day fast against inflated electricity bills.

Protests

• On 23 March 2013, Kejriwal began an indefinite fast (which ended after 15 days) against inflated power and electricity bills from a house in Sundar Nagri, a low-income group resettlement colony in North-East Delhi. During protest he urged Delhi citizens not to pay "inflated" water and electricity bills. The AAP claimed that the protest gathered support from 100,000 people in Delhi on a single day and from more than 300,000 people up to 28 March 2013. Anna Hazare urged Kejriwal to end the fast and he did so on 6 April.
• On 10 June 2013, AAP leader Kejriwal supported the agitation of Delhi auto rickshaw drivers, who were protesting Delhi Government's ban on advertisements on auto rickshaws. Kejriwal claimed that, auto rickshaw drivers supported his party and they carried AAP's advertisements on their auto rickshaws and this is the reason for Delhi Government's ban and he challenged that volunteers of AAP will put 10,000 advertisements on auto rickshaws as a protest.

Delhi Assembly election, 2013

The 2013 Delhi state assembly elections will be the party's first electoral participation and the Election Commission has approved the symbol of a "broom" for the party. The party has said it will produce a separate manifesto for each constituency, The candidates are being screened for potential criminal backgrounds and the party claims it will only select honest candidates. On 6 August 2013, the party announced six more candidates for the assembly elections and total of 40 out 70 candidates has been declared.

See also

• Swaraj (book)

References

Notes

1. The Election Commission of India gazetted the AAP as a "registered unrecognised party" on 9 April 2013.

Citations

1. PTI (19 May 2013). "AAP workers protest at residences of Delhi CM, MLAs". Times of India. New Delhi.
2. "Delhi police arrests driver on rape charge after AAP activists protest". India Tv News channel. New Delhi. 24 May 2013.
3. "Promise to Keep". Frontline Magzine. 15–28 Dec. 2012. p. Volume 29. Retrieved 3 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. Radheshyam Jadhav & Sarang Dastane, TNN (19 September 2012). "Anna Hazare confirms rift with Arvind Kejriwal, says his apolitical mass movement will continue". Times of India. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
5. ^ "Anna Hazare tells Arvind Kejriwal not to use his name, photo for votes as they part ways". New Delhi: India Today. PTI. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
6. ^ "So what is the Aam Aadmi Party all about". New Delhi: India Today. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
7. "India activist Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party vows change". BBC. 26 November 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
8. "Arvind Kejriwal's answer to Congress's 'mango people', names his political front as Aam Aadmi Party". New Delhi: India Today. PTI. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
9. "Arvind Kejriwal formally launches Aam Aadmi Party". India Today. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
10. "Aam Aadmi Party now a registered political party". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
11. "Election Commission of India Notification" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 2. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
12. ^ "Goal of Swaraj". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
13. Dalton, Dennis (2012) . Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action (Revised ed.). Columbia University Press. p. 77. ISBN 9780231159593. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
14. "Arvind Kejriwal is not an angry man. Or a socialist". First Post. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
15. "Aam Aadmi Party — Agenda". Aam Aadmi Party. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
16. Neeraja, Sangeetha (2 May 2013). "Aam Aadmi Party bats for the right to reject". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
17. chetan chauhan (29 June 2013). "Aruna Roy, Kejriwal team up to fight RTI change". Hindustan_Times. New Delhi. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
18. "CIC order: Transparency is important in democracy, says Arvind Kejriwal". The Economic Times. New Delhi. 6 June 2013.
19. Ashok Pradhan(TNN). "Parties get 45 days to solve RTI puzzle". TimesofIndia. BHUBANESWAR. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
20. "Real time feed of donors". Aam Aadmi Party. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
21. "New Delhi Shanti Bhushan donates Rs. 1 crore to Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party". Hindustan Times. New Delhi. Press Trust of India. 26 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
22. "Indian-Americans extend support to Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party". IBN Live. PTI. 20 May 2013.
23. ^ PTI (6 April 2013). "Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal Ends Two-week long fast". Tehelka.com. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
24. "Aam Aadami Party Begins Civil Disobedience Movement". The Hindu. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
25. Raza, Danish (24 March 2013). "Kerjiwal moves to Delhi's power corridor to protest against 'inflated' power bills". First Post. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
26. "Eminent personalities support Kejriwal's movement". The Economic Times. PTI. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
27. ^ Ali, Mohammed (11 June 2013). "Kejriwal slams Sheila for banning ads on autos". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
28. "Aam Aadmi Party gets broom as election symbol". IBN Live. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
29. Raza, Danish (28 April). "In a first, Kejriwal promises 70 manifestos for 70 Delhi seats". First Post. Retrieved 19 July 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
30. Raza, Danish (21 May 2013). "AAP picks candidates: Filmmaker, homemaker and loyalists". First Post. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
31. "Assembly polls: Aam Aadmi Party lists 4 names". The Times of India. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.

External links

• Official website

v t e Aam Aadmi Party
National posts	Convener: Arvind Kejriwal Secretary: Pankaj Gupta Treasurer: Narain Dass Gupta Joint General Secretary: Ishudan Gadhvi
Political Affairs Committee	Arvind Kejriwal Manish Sisodia Sanjay Singh Gopal Rai Atishi Marlena Durgesh Pathak Imran Hussain Raghav Chadha Rakhi Bidlan
National Executive Committee	Arvind Kejriwal Manish Sisodia Bhagwant Mann Sanjay Singh Raghav Chadha Narain Dass Gupta Sushil Gupta Ishudan Gadhvi Gopal Rai Satyendra Kumar Jain Imran Hussain Rajendra Pal Gautam Rakhi Birla Harpal Singh Cheema Atishi Marlena Singh Dilip Pandey Dinesh Mohaniya Aman Arora Saravjit Kaur Manuke Prof. Baljinder Kaur Venzy Viegas Preeti Sharma Menon and others
Spokespersons	Saurabh Bhardwaj (Chief Spokesperson) Sanjay Singh Pankaj Gupta Dilip Pandey Bhagwant Mann Preeti Sharma Menon Prithvi Reddy Nishikant Mohapatra Raghav Chadha Anjali Rai
State wings	Delhi Gujarat Goa Himachal Pradesh Haryana Jammu and Kashmir Madhya Pradesh Punjab Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh
Chief ministers	Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal (2013-14) (2015-24) Atishi Marlena (2024-present) Punjab: Bhagwant Mann (2022-present)
Current members of Parliament	Rajya Sabha
Political wings	Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti

• Use dmy dates from August 2013
• Political parties in India
• Political parties established in 2012
• 2012 establishments in India
• Aam Aadmi Party