This Article is From Jan 10, 2014

Praise for AAP can only come from non-grassroots worker: Congress leader snubs Jairam Ramesh

Praise for AAP can only come from non-grassroots worker: Congress leader snubs Jairam Ramesh

File pic: Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seems to have sparked trouble within the Congress, which has disapproved of union minister Jairam Ramesh's comments praising the new party.

Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi did not name Mr |Ramesh but said scathingly that such comments can only come from a person who is not a political worker and has got prominence in the party without going through the rigours.

He insisted he was not referring to any individual, but the inference was clear.

"It isn't intelligent to say anything final about AAP. Some people may have individual opinions about AAP but Congress workers are not happy that the situation has come to this. They are sad. Only those people can appreciate (AAP), who have never known what it's like being a party worker or a grassroots worker. They do not know the pain that is felt in forming a political party and working as a political activist," Mr Dwivedi said.

Jairam Ramesh, a key Congress strategist had said on Wednesday that it was not wise to dismiss the AAP.  "Don't make fun of them. Making fun of them would be proved wrong," he warned.

"We cannot ignore Aam Aadmi Party... Because what they are agitating about-- corruption, austerity in politics, simplicity in politics-- these are legitimate values."

Mr Ramesh said the AAP was like 'Dashavatar'. "In different states it can have different avatars," he said, indicating that the fledgling party had given sleepless nights to many parties in other states.

In an apparent reference to the Congress' decimation by the AAP in the Delhi Assembly polls, the minister also said, "If we had brought the Lokpal Bill two years ago, we wouldn't have been facing the problems we are."
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