After tasting success in Delhi elections and decision of taking plunge into national politics, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has now decided to enter student politics as well to attract youth to the party-fold and increase its voter base.
Though party’s “immediate priority” is “channelize the mobilized youth force” in upcoming Lok Sabha polls, it would also fight student elections in Delhi University later this year. AAP is also expected to field these youth leaders in Lok Sabha polls similar to the way they did in Delhi elections where AAP gave ticket to youth leader Sanjeev Jha who won elections and became MLA.
For AAP, which has already decided to take a plunge into national elections starting from 2014 Lok Sabha elections, AAP leaders feel entry into student’s political arena was a “natural step”.
Both BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has been giving special emphasis on involvement of youth and first time voters in national politics. AAP too benefitted a lot from the involvement of youth, students and first time voters in Delhi elections.
The decision was taken at a two day meeting, “Chhatra Yuva Sanvad” of the youth leaders and students who came to Delhi from across India. The meeting comprised of around 150 student representatives and youth leaders from at least 23 states. Representatives from at least 24 universities including leading universities like Delhi University, Mumbai University and others were also part of the meeting.
AAP sources said “it was a brainstorming session wherein the youth leaders and students discussed important issues like Swaraj, dynasty politics and others in detail”.
“After two days of deliberations several important decisions were taken. First of all, a youth and student volunteer registration programme will be launched from March 1-10 to mobilise student support across the country,” sources told dna.
Party’s immediate priority is to channelize energy of youth and students into AAP’s Lok Sabha campaign who will assist AAP’s 2014 Lok Sabha candidates in their election campaign.
“During their campaign to reach out to students, AAP’s volunteers - like door to door campaigning in Delhi elections – would go from department to department in universities and colleges,” AAP sources said.
They explained these young students and youth leaders will not just strengthen AAP and its campaign but will also be made part of national politics.
“Unlike BJP and Congress, where leaders strive to reach the national scene, AAP will not keep them aloof and instead youth and students will be an integral part of AAP’s campaign. During Delhi elections, AAP gave ticket to young youth leader Sanjeev Jha who became MLA. Similar thing will be repeated in AAP’s Lok Sabha plans,” sources added.
AAP sources revealed that participants were of the view that AAP should also enter student politics and thus it was decided to take part in student politics and elections in Delhi later this year, sources said.
“Students had a collective suggestion that AAP should fight student elections as well. This proposal would be kept in AAP’s Political Affairs Committee and a final nod would be given after their approval,” AAP’s leader Dilip K Pandey told dna.
“Young students will also become a part of the national mainstream politics like Sanjeev Jha who became MLA in Delhi elections,” Pandey said.
Youth representatives were from across India including states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya
Tripura and others.
Meanwhile student representatives from universities like Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, IIT Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Mumbai University, universities of Jammu and Kashmir, PTU, BHU, Patna University and others took part in the meeting.
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