Swaraj Samvad hits roadblock: AAP rebels AVAM ditch Bhushan, Yadav on big day

Swaraj Samvad, the new initiative conceptualized by the Prashant Bhushan-Yogendra Yadav duo to provide a platform for alternative politics, seems to have received a blow with AVAM (AAP Volunteers’ Action Manch) deciding not to lend its support to the group. It was speculated that both AVAM and Swaraj Samvad – anti-Kejriwal groupings formed by those opposing his ‘arbitrary’ functioning after coming to power — would strengthen each other by joining hands. It was expected that AVAM would provide a strong volunteer base to this dialogue on democratic experiment, and perhaps the subsequent formation of a political party. [caption id=“attachment_2195445” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “] Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. PTI[/caption] Swaraj Samvad will be launched in Gurgaon later today with a large number of volunteers, mostly Aam Aadmi Party members who have either been removed or have voluntarily resigned from party posts, from different states. The initiative is a result of the continuing feud between the two warring groups – Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on one side and Bhushan-Yadav duo on the other. It follows the expulsion of Bhushan and Yadav, along with Prof Anand Kumar and Prof Ajit Jha, who had acted as an interlocutor on the duo’s behalf in ‘peace-talk’ process, which ultimately failed. “We did not get any offer from Yogendra Yadav to join them nor are we joining hands with Swaraj Samvad. AVAM doesn’t support the concept of forming another new party because we formed AAP, but it has turned into just another political party devoid of its fundamental principles,” said Karan Singh, the founder of AVAM, a splinter group of the AAP. AVAM was formed after Karan Singh was expelled from the AAP for his alleged “anti-party activities”. Karan Singh’s exit witnessed a large number of volunteers leaving AAP and joining him. However, Singh received support from AAP’s founding member Shanti Bhushan and later Prashant Bhushan, who was then in the AAP’s disciplinary committee. By his own admission, AVAM has a battery of 800 volunteers in Delhi, which could have proved to be an asset for the Bhushan-Yadav group. “We want to focus on our own ideology of building a strong volunteer-based forum, give volunteers their voting right and right to recall; and bring in transparency and internal democracy. Our objective is to function as a constructive opposition in Delhi. We will monitor the implementation and proper functioning of public utility services, ensure that the elected legislators and corporators deliver on their promises made to voters, etc. The Swaraj Samvad has taken a leaf out of our original code of conduct that we had drafted for volunteers. We’ve the support of Shanti Bhushan ji and we’re in touch with him, but we’ll function independent of Swaraj Samvad,” said Singh. However, Swaraj Samvad has a different take on this issue. Its leader and new spokesperson Professor Ajit Jha told Firstpost, “First, we won’t form any party. And second, there is no question of joining hands with AVAM. They were involved in anti-party activities when they were in AAP. There is a difference in basic principles between us and the AVAM. So, our coming together is ruled out.” He added, “We’ll work towards the agenda that was pre-decided during the AAP’s National Executive meeting on 26 February. That included ensuring internal democracy, role of volunteers in building an organization and working on party’s founding principles.” Citing a letter written to Yadav and Bhushan, Singh was quick to add, “We’ve asked Yogendraji to clarify his allegations against AVAM on ‘anti-party activities’. And, why without confirming he strongly supported AAP on the fictitious funding of Rs 2 crore through cheques and later took a U-turn? But, we haven’t got any reply from him yet.” Amid all these allegations and claims, can Swaraj Samvad provide a true platform for an alternative politics – the USP on which the AAP got a historical mandate by winning the hearts of Delhi voters’?