AAP volunteers protest party’s choice of candidate

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers staged a dharna in front of party's head office at Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, on Thursday. They were protesting against the party’s choice of candidate from Timarpur for the forthcoming assembly elections. Nivedita Khandekar reports.

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers staged a dharna in front of party's head office at Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, on Thursday. They were protesting against the party's choice of candidate from Timarpur for the forthcoming assembly elections.

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Several people from Timarpur in north Delhi remained stationed at the office till late in the night as they believed that the party's choice of the candidate was "wrong".

There were in all 19 contenders for the candidature in Timarpur of which only three were shortlisted by the party as against the routine practice of five candidates. Last week, a meeting was held there as per AAP's procedure, wherein the shortlisted candidates were to speak before the area's volunteers.

"Gopal Rai (AAP's national executive member) attended the meeting wherein the candidate designate Rajani (she goes by single name) did not receive any support," alleged Shyam Gopal Gupta, one of the protesters. While Gupta claimed the protesters numbered 75-80, AAP spokesperson Manish Sisodia said there were some 10-12 people.

Reacting to allegations of corruption against Rajani, Sisodiya said: "Not just Rajani, if there is any proof of corruption against any candidate, we will cancel the candidature even at the last minute. Let them first bring the proof."

Calling them disgruntled candidates "who did not get tickets", Sisodia said, "If someone does not get a ticket, he or she has a right to be disturbed."