New Delhi:
To strengthen the party before the Lok Sabha polls, AAP on Thursday appointed a two-member sub-committee to look into its polls preparations and finalise strategy.
"A sub-committee under the party's Political Affairs Committee has been formed to look into AAP's prospects in the Lok Sabha elections.
"Senior PAC member Sanjay Singh and AAP's National General Secretary Pankaj Gupta have been appointed to formalise strategy, decide procedure and selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls," AAP senior leader Yogendra Yadav told reporters in New Delhi on Thursday.
Even as AAP is yet to decide on several aspects, the party has expedited the process and taken few decisions. For the past many days, partymen are roaming in nooks and corners of the country and taking feedback from the people and analysing the position of the party, added Mr Yadav.
Sanjay Singh said, "In the coming days, members of the central committee will go to different states and party committees and district units in various states to analyse the party position."
Inviting applications from candidates interested in contesting Lok Sabha polls, Mr Singh said a form, similar to that issued during Delhi Lok Sabha polls, has been put in the public domain.
"Any person who wants to become an AAP candidate will have to fill the form and give all details about himself. Lok Sabha candidates will have to procure signature of 100 people from each legislative assemblies under one Lok Sabha. They will have to provide the numbers of those people for verification purposes," Mr Singh added.
On the question of applicants forging signature to get the party's ticket, Mr Singh said many candidatures were rejected during Delhi Assembly elections due to this reason.
"The forms are in English and in Hindi. In some time, forms can be filled online as well. Presently, they are available at our offices and the website. Forms can be sent through post or sent to our e-mail id," said Pankaj Gupta.
About speculation that Vindo Kumar Binny, MLA from Laxmi Nagar constituency, may contest Lok Sabha polls, Mr Yadav said Mr Binny is a senior AAP member and the party will take a final decision in this regard.
"Where one should be used... it is a very big thing... you will get to know later," Mr Yadav said, adding that Mr Binny stood with the party at a time when many political leaders of Delhi were keeping a distance from AAP.
"Binny has made many sacrifices for the party and to think that all this work he did was because he had ambitions to become a minister is totally wrong.
"I was very shocked when I read that such an image was created for a person who started his political career with sacrifice before AAP came into existence and has been sacrificing on all stages," said Mr Yadav.
Reports of a rift between Mr Binny and the party had surfaced over the issue of cabinet berths. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal played down reports, while Mr Binny on his part said that he was not angry and that there was no rift in the party.
On questions regarding the number of seats AAP will contest in the elections, Mr Yadav said, "We have formed our teams in 309 districts in the country, but it is still very early to say on how many seats we will contest for."
We will request people who want to change the politics of corruption, muscle power, money power and criminalisation to come forward, added Mr Yadav.
Taking about the selection process for candidates, Mr Yadav said the party will focus on selection of candidates with a clean image.
"Honest people associated with other parties and organisations and feeling suffocated are welcome in AAP. Even members of other social organisations, farmers' organisations should come forward," he said.