Posts tagged ‘Aam Aadmi’

21/03/2014

AAP Ousts Two Members on Corruption Concerns – India Real Time – WSJ

The political party created to combat corruption, the Aam Aadmi Party, moved quickly to protect its squeaky-clean image Friday, kicking out two party members amid allegations of bribery.

The two party workers have been accused of demanding bribes from wannabe politicians who were trying to get AAP tickets or nomination papers to run on behalf of the party for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Aam Aadmi, or common man, Party said it discovered demands had been made though no deal was done.

“The transactions did not take place but promises were made,” said Arvind Kejriwal, anti-corruption crusader and leader of the AAP, at a news conference on Friday.

One of the workers that was pushed out of the party, Aruna Singh, was an organizer for the party in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh and said she was not sure what she was being accused of. She had heard there was some recording of her allegedly involved in some kind of political transaction.

“This decision about me has been taken in haste,” Ms. Singh told The Wall Street Journal. “I didn’t get an opportunity to defend myself. If there is any recording of any transaction, they should have asked me if I was involved.”

Ashok Kumar, the other party member that was ousted, was a treasurer for the party in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. He could not be reached for comment Friday.

via AAP Ousts Two Members on Corruption Concerns – India Real Time – WSJ.

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07/03/2014

India’s anti-graft party takes aim at Modi’s economic model | Reuters

Indian opposition politician Narendra Modi, who leads opinion polls ahead of next month’s general election, faces pressure from a small anti-graft party attacking his economic model on his home turf, the thriving state of Gujarat.

Arvind Kejriwal and friends

Arvind Kejriwal and friends (Photo credit: vm2827)

The pro-business leader has presided over rapid economic growth during more than 12 years as the chief minister of the coastal state, and slashed red tape to attract companies such as Ford, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors.

Now, Modi promises to replicate his state’s development model nationwide if he becomes prime minister.

But Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, on Friday said small businessesin the state were being shuttered, public schools and health services were in poor shape and claims of regular supplies of electricity were not true.

“What is your development model?” Kejriwal asked as he tore into the heart of Modi’s campaign, saying that 400,000 of the state’s farmers who had applied for electricity connections years ago had yet to receive them.

“If you haven’t even given a connection, how will you give them electricity?”

India’s western state of Gujarat has been hailed for rapid measures to develop infrastructure and provide stable power supply, but critics often say it lags behind other states in social development.

“What we’ve seen in the last two days is quite shocking,” Kejriwal told reporters at a meeting on the edge of the state’s commercial capital of Ahmedabad.

Kejriwal, who was denied an audience with Modi, questioned the Gujarat chief minister’s claims on farm growth, job creation and clean governance, and suggested he was too close to big business.

He was on a tour to study conditions in Gujarat, as part of his party’s first national campaign since bursting onto the political scene with a stunning victory in Delhi’s local election in December.

via India’s anti-graft party takes aim at Modi’s economic model | Reuters.

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05/03/2014

BBC News – India names general election dates

India’s general election will take place in nine phases in April and May, the Election Commission has announced.

A BJP rally in Assam, India

Polling to elect a new Lok Sabha, or lower house, will be held from 7 April to 12 May. Votes will be counted on 16 May.

With some 814 million eligible voters, India’s election will be the largest the world has seen.

The ruling Congress party and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party will be battling a host of smaller parties.

Leaders of 11 regional parties have formed a Third Front against the Congress and the BJP.

A new anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party (AAP), which made a spectacular debut in recent polls in the capital Delhi, will also contest the elections.

Continue reading the main story

POLLING DAYS

7 April – 2 states, 6 constituencies

9 April – 5 states, 7 constituencies

10 April – 14 states, 92 constituencies

12 April – 3 states, 5 constituencies

17 April – 13 states, 142 constituencies

24 April – 12 states, 117 constituencies

30 April – 9 states, 89 constituencies

7 May – 7 states, 64 constituencies

12 May – 3 states, 41 constituencies

Counting of votes – 16 May

Election Commission of India

If no single party wins a clear majority, smaller parties could play a crucial role.

India’s lower house has 543 elected seats and any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 MPs to form a government.

via BBC News – India names general election dates.

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12/02/2014

Election season in India comes with freebies – Businessweek

Just before village council elections, Southern Tamil Nadu state Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha went all out to gain favor with rural voters. Schoolgirls received laptops. Farm workers got cows and goats. Homemakers were given spice grinders and fans.

The price tag for the giveaway, which started in 2011 and continues today: 20 billion rupees ($322 million) in a state of about 70 million people.

Freebies are a fact of life in Indian politics, and items like livestock are only part of it. All three parties seen as the front-runners in upcoming elections have enticed voters with subsidies on electricity, cooking gas or grain.

via Election season in India comes with freebies – Businessweek.

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30/01/2014

* AAP to contest over 350 LS seats, will fight tainted leaders – The Times of India

Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said it will contest over 350 Lok Sabha seats (total 543 seats) and vowed to take on tainted candidates and political leaders who have become \”symbols\” of corruption and criminalization of politics.

English: Chamber graphic for the Lok Sabha aft...

English: Chamber graphic for the Lok Sabha after the 1999 General Election (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The fledgling party, which made a stunning debut in the recent Delhi assembly polls, said it would contest elections against 14 Union ministers as well as A Raja allegedly involved in the 2G spectrum scam.

\”We have received reports from our state conveners and looking at the response from different seats, it has been decided that the Aam Aadmi Party will contest more than 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections,\” senior party leader and political affairs committee (PAC) member Sanjay Singh told reporters.

via AAP to contest over 350 LS seats, will fight tainted leaders – The Times of India.

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17/01/2014

Honeymoon threatens to be brief for India’s anti-graft party | Reuters

From a rally that nearly ended in a stampede, to a rebellious lawmaker and a minister openly duelling police over drug gangs, the honeymoon could be short-lived for an anti-corruption party that shook up India\’s politics last month.

Arvind Kejriwal and friends

Arvind Kejriwal and friends (Photo credit: vm2827)

The Common Man\’s Party (AAP) enjoyed a heady few weeks after its leader Arvind Kejriwal pulled off a political surprise by becoming Delhi chief minister in December elections.

He eschewed the usual displays of power beloved of many of India\’s VIPs, such as expensive official cars that routinely ran red lights, and promised voters cheap water and power.

With his party aiming to contest a general election due by May, both the ruling Congress Party and the main opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party worry that Kejriwal could eat into their traditional voter support in the cities.

Kejriwal\’s party is still a force as it attracts supporters across the nation, ranging from intellectuals to journalists and rights activists. But a sinking feeling of inexperienced, out-of-their-depth politicians is increasingly manifesting itself.

via Honeymoon threatens to be brief for India’s anti-graft party | Reuters.

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14/01/2014

Kejriwal’s Foreign Shop Ban is Bad for Delhi – India Real Time – WSJ

Delhi’s decision to block foreign supermarkets in the capital–one of the few markets that matter in India–is bad for the city and for the country, some analysts said Tuesday.

As India looks to attract more foreign investment, New Delhi’s flip flop on accepting foreign investment in multi-brand retail in the capital sends the wrong signal, the analysts said.

“Delhi is one of the key metro markets, keeping it out of reach of retailers may significantly reduce the attractiveness of an India investment for any major retailer,” said Deep Mukherjee, a director at ratings agency Fitch. “This uncertainty with respect to change of guard at the state level will always be a problem for any long-term investor in the retail space.”

The new Aam Aadmi Party-led government in New Delhi this week asked the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion to remove Delhi’s name from the list of cities which allow multi-brand retail stores. Multi-brand retail is Indian bureaucratic speak for retail stores that carry more than one brand, such as supermarkets.

Big global brands used to only be able enter India through franchises, wholesale stores or single-brand stores, such as clothing shops. That kept out big supermarkets such as those run by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Last year India opened the retail sector to allow foreign retailers to own up to 51% in local supermarkets. It asked the state governments to make the final decisions on allowing multi-brand stores.

Since then, eleven of the country’s 22 states–including Delhi–decided to allow multi-brand retail outlets.

Last month, however, the Aam Aadmi, or common man, Party, took control of Delhi in state elections after promising it would block foreign investment in retail, concerned it would hurt the mom and pop stores that dominate the sector.

Keeping foreign funds and expertise out of the sector will hurt consumers and delay the modernization of India’s outdated supply chains, said some industry groups.

via Kejriwal’s Foreign Shop Ban is Bad for Delhi – India Real Time – WSJ.

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10/01/2014

AAP kicks off nationwide membership drive – The Hindu

“Main bhi aam aadmi” campaign aims to enroll at least 1 crore members by January 26, 2014

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and party leader Gopal Rai launch the party's nationwide membership drive in New Delhi on Friday. Photo Rajeev Bhatt

Buoyed by its spectacular success in the Delhi Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday kicked off a nationwide membership drive with an aim to enroll at least 1 crore members by January 26, 2014 to strengthen the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said under the Main bhi aam aadmi campaign, any citizen can enroll as member of the party without paying any fee.

“Our target is to include 1 crore members in the party by January 26. But the membership drive will continue after that as well,” he said addressing a press conference.

He said the party had decided to waive the Rs. 10 membership fee as it was found out that many people could not afford it. “The decision to waive off the membership fee was taken at the national executive meeting last week,” he said.

Party leader Gopal Rai, who has been tasked to oversee the special membership drive, said over 3 lakh people have registered online as party members after the Delhi elections.

“This is perhaps the first time in the history of India that membership to a party is being opened to public like this. This is our biggest country—wide drive to connect with people before the Lok Sabha polls,” Mr. Rai told PTI.

“Success of this campaign is one of our major strategies before the Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

Mr. Rai said the whole campaign will check the “ground reality” of the party’s prospects in the Lok Sabha polls to a certain level.

“A lot will depend on this campaign. We will get to know how much response is coming and from which areas,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal said any citizen can give a missed call on mobile number 07798220033 to enrol as a party member. They can also send SMS of their name, STD code and Vidhan Sabha name after which they will get their membership number.

The citizens will also have an option of filling an online form on the Aam Aadmi Party website aamaadmiparty.org to become a member.

“Those who do not have mobile phones have to use their voter identification number and register at our website after January 17,” Mr. Rai said.

He said one mobile number holder can only have one membership.

Mr. Rai said all AAP members are being urged to bring in as many people as possible into the party fold.

via AAP kicks off nationwide membership drive – The Hindu.

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07/01/2014

* As Donations Pour In, Aam Aadmi Party Tries to Transform Campaign Finance – NYTimes.com

The Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man Party), having shaken up the political order in India by its surprisingly strong showing in the Delhi state assembly elections last month, is also making an attempt to change the way the country’s political campaigns are financed.

Supporters of Aam Aadmi Party listening to Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi, at Ramlila ground in New Delhi on Dec. 28.

When the party first began campaigning in 2012, it promised complete transparency in its finances, creating a website in which the name of the donor is listed, along with the donor’s country of residence, the date and the amount of the donation.

These efforts mark a considerable departure from the murky practices considered the norm in electoral finance in India. “It’s the first time there has been this level of transparency in fund-raising by a political party in India,” said E. Sridharan, academic director at the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India in New Delhi, who has written extensively about electoral finance.

via News, Culture and Views From India – India Ink – NYTimes.com.

See also: https://chindia-alert.org/2014/01/04/aap-to-contest-lok-sabha-polls-the-hindu/

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28/12/2013

Taking power in New Delhi, ‘common man’ leader talks of revolution | Reuters

There was no motorcade, and none of the traditional trappings of power: the leader of India\’s upstart \”common man party\” arrived on a crowded metro train on Saturday to be sworn in as chief minister of Delhi, India\’s capital.

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP), shouts slogans after taking the oath as the new chief minister of Delhi during a swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi December 28, 2013. REUTERS-Anindito Mukherjee

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters watched as Arvind Kejriwal, a mild-mannered former tax official, was anointed after a stunning electoral debut that has jolted the country\’s two main parties just months before a general election.

The emergence of Kejriwal\’s Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, or AAP, as a force to be reckoned with barely a year since it was created on the back of an anti-corruption movement could give it a springboard to challenge the mainstream parties in other urban areas in the election due by next May.

That could be a threat to the front-runner for prime minister, Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who is counting on strong support from urban, middle-class voters.

\”Today, the common man has won,\” Kejriwal said in a triumphant speech at Delhi\’s Ramlila grounds, the very place were huge protests over corruption erupted in 2011, opening the way for the birth of the AAP.

\”This truly feels like a miracle. Two years ago, we couldn\’t have imagined such a revolution would happen in this country.\”

In a December 4 election to the legislative assembly of Delhi, a city of 16 million people, no party won the majority of seats required to rule on its own.

The impasse that ensued was broken after the AAP – in a display of citizenship politics – consulted the people of the city. It then agreed to lead the Delhi government with \”outside support\” from the Congress party, which heads the national ruling coalition.

Opinion polls show that Congress, the party of India\’s celebrated Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, will be punished in the general election because of disgust with a government whose two terms have brought corruption scandals and stubborn inflation.

via Taking power in New Delhi, ‘common man’ leader talks of revolution | Reuters.

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