In 'sure' Benaulim, Aam Aadmi Party activists in a tight spot

COLVA: Until recently, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) network building exercise was running smoothly ahead of the 2017 assembly elections, but the situation has changed drastically, at least in Benaulim, with most of the volunteers questioning lack of transparency in key areas.
Though AAP gave a new option to the people from the same run-of-the-mill national parties and their candidates, a voice of dissent is brewing up among the volunteers as they are unable to answer convincingly the questions put forth by the people in absence of proper instructions by the co-ordinators.This may be seen in quite a few constituencies but more evident in Benaulim in Salcete which the party had been focussing on for quite sometime now.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some AAP volunteers and sympathizers from Benaulim stated that they are not given proper answers by the party higher-ups. “They just want us to be parrots and blurt out whatever they tutor us. When people ask questions, we are lost in the wilderness and have to cut a sorry face for ourselves. Co-ordinators and conveners instruct us to talk about the Delhi model in Goa. People give us a patient hearing. But when they ask us about AAP plans to implement the same in Goa, we do not have any answers.’’
Volunteers further said that when they seek answers from the co-ordinators, they act in an arrogant manner and sometimes advise them to get the information under the Right to Information Act.
A sympathizer said, “I proposed some names who worked selflessly for the party. But they rejected the same saying they have to abide by the procedure laid down by the party to choose candidates. Nobody wants to be with a party that dictates terms to the voters even before getting a firm foothold. We need a party with leaders here and not in Delhi.’’
The selection or rather the non-disclosure of probable candidates’ list is another big issue for volunteers. Sources informed that the volunteers in Benaulim have made it very clear to the co-ordinators that they are aware of certain personalities trying to influence the party observers and conveners for getting tickets. If these individuals are made candidates then they will back out from supporting AAP and it will weaken party’s prospect in Benaulim.
A non-activist who had attended some dialogues of the party also voiced similar apprehension. “I can see that the AAP is slowly being hijacked by builders and real estate lobbies at least in Benaulim. A builder is working very hard to convince party observers to allot the ticket to the sitting MLA.’’
AAP convener in Goa, Rajeshree Nagarsekar informed that nobody can influence the selection process.
“AAP has a framework in place. The names of shortlisted or probable candidates are scrutinized by us and then sent to the political affairs committee in Delhi. They, in turn, refer it to us with their comments”.
Speaking further she said, “In AAP, volunteers are powerful as they are our assets”.
Analysts say that not surprisingly, Benaulim candidate is not figuring in the first list announced on tuesday, though the party has been working there for long.
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Colva: Till recently Aam Admi Party building up network from the scratch in Goa, person to person contact, strengthening volunteers in the run-up to the election 2017 was going on smoothly and steadly.
A new option from the same run-off the mill national parties and candidates, a new dynamic, emergent young faces had given Goans something to think about and things were really looking up for the party which only has its presence in Delhi and the style of functioning of its chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had endeared him to the masses.
It was this dynamism that attracted lot of youth and other disenchanted voters to AAP in Goa. However, observers now, one hears different overtures and whispers in the AAP camp mainly over transparency. And this undertone should be really disturbing to AAP as it is dissent already creeping among the volunteers and the co-ordinators. This may be seen in quite a few constituencies but more evident in Benaulim in Salcete which the party had been focussing on for quite sometime now.
Speaking on conditions of anonymity some volunteers and sympathisers from Benaulim assembly constituency disclosed that they are not being given answers, “they just want us to be parrots to blurt out whatever they tutor us, but when people ask questions we are lost in the wilderness and have to cut a sorry face of our selves, for example co-ordinators and convenors instruct us to talk about Delhi model in Goa like the much publicized health sector, people give us a patient hearing but when the people question us about AAP plans to do the same in Goa, we do not have an answer and when we demand answers from the co-ordinators they are so arrogant so much so that they asked us to get it using Right to Information Act. If they are so arrogant now I can image what they will be if they come to power with our efforts”.
Another sympathiser is also very upset with the style of functioning of AAP, “I proposed names of proven and genuine people who have tirelessly worked for Goa selflessly, but they rejected my suggestion saying they have to abide by the procedure laid down by the party to choose candidates. Who wants to be with a political party that dictates terms to the voters even before getting a foothold”. “We need a party with leaders here and not Delhi, forget the candidates we do not even know who the AAP leaders are here in Goa”?
The selection or rather the non disclosure of probable candidates is also a big issue among volunteers. Sources informed that volunteers in Benaulim constituency have made it very clear to the co-ordinators that they, “we are aware of certain personalities are trying to influence party observers or convenors or in-charges to allot tickets to certain and we have objected to it for various reasons, if these individuals are made party candidates we will opt out of working for AAP simply because it is the efforts of volunteers that has given an edge to the party of winning Benaulim seat”.
Another personality who is not a volunteer but has attended and addressed some dialogues of the party also voiced similar apprehension, “I can see that the AAP is slowly being hijacked by the builders and real estate lobbies, at least in Benaulim constituency one builder is working very hard to convince party observers to allot ticket to the sitting MLA and one can read between the lines why it is so”.
AAP convenor in Goa Rajeshree Nagasekar very firmly informed that projected candidates will not be taken and nobody can influence the process. “AAP has processes in place which are very strict followed like names of shortlisted or probable candidates are scrutinized by us and then sent to Political Affairs Committee in Delhi who dissect the applications or recommendation and send it back with their comments”. Speaking further she said, “in AAP, volunteers are the most powerful as they are our assets”.