AAP sets sights on 2014: Mass membership drive from 10 Jan

Outlining the pre-poll organisational strategy for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav today said that the party will soon launch a pan-India membership drive to give fillip to its cadre strength. “We will begin our nationwide membership drive from 10 -26 January. The membership drive will be called Mein Bhi Aam Aadmi. We have also suspended the fee of Rs 10 for joining the party,” Yadav told a press conference at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_1323373” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AAP workers. AFP[/caption] Saying that AAP leader Gopal Rai will head the membership drive, Yadav said a central core committee will look into into all the key aspects of preparation for the Lok Sabha polls. “A three-member National Campaign Co-ordination Committee will look into the manifesto, fund raising and other functions related to the polls. The committee will have AAP national leaders Sanjay Singh, Pankaj Gupta and myself as its members initially. We are going to include more people later on,” he said. Talking about the manifesto, the AAP member said, “The manifesto should be out by March. We will also encourage a constituency wise manifesto if anybody can bring it out.” The AAP leader made it clear that getting a party ticket for fighting the Lok Sabha polls will be an impossible task if the prospective candidates who seek tickets are not squeaky clean in public life. “Anybody across the nation can fill the form to contest elections on a AAP ticket. There will a party screening committee on state level. People can apply for candidature for Lok Sabha polls till 15 January which will be then screened at the state level. AAP will nominate candidates for Lok Sabha polls once they clear the screening process,” Yadav said. The AAP leader said that the first list of party candidates should be available in public sphere between 15-20 January. The party is also looking into possibilities of raising funds to contest the Lok Sabha polls. “We fought the Delhi elections with Rs 20 crore. More funds are needed to fight the Lok Sabha elections,” he said. Revealing its Haryana plans, Yadav said that the party is likely to contest in all the 90-Assembly seats. “Elections in Haryana are scheduled in October. But if it happens earlier then AAP will contest the elections on all the seats of the state,” the AAP leader said. The Delhi euphoria is yet to die down within the party circles as it turned out to be one of the major causes inspiring the party to attempt a national footprint. “AAP’s performance in Delhi is a ray hope in the country,” Yadav said.