Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
Until a few days ago, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office in Jammu was a solitary entity with hardly any people visiting the same as this was just like the office of many other parties which do exist but have no existence in J&K UT. It was the stunning results of Punjab Assembly elections that paved way for thumping majority to AAP and as a result the political activity of the party picked up pace in Jammu and Kashmir especially in Jammu where local leaders of various parties started visiting the AAP office located in the posh Gandhi Nagar area and heavy rush of vehicles became a day to day affair. Senior party leaders observer Shri Manish Sinha, Durgesh Pathak, Delhi MLA Raghav Chadha, Lovely Professional University Chancellor Ashok Mittal, and Ludhiana-based industrialist Sanjeev Arora are among the key resource persons for AAP, who turned out to be a magic wand for the party’s success in Punjab elections. As the rising popularity of AAP has started disturbing other parties, the trouble for the party has also increased with unheard controversies coming in the way and the same hogging the headlines. It was easy for the Party leadership to handle things when AAP was not in the limelight but with former ministers, MLAs, local leaders embracing the Kejriwal’s political outfit the confrontation is inevitable and to avoid this, the party has to take steps very carefully without taking short cuts as the new problem for the party is its own headquarter in Jammu as the owner of the building has asked the party to vacate the office. The reason explained behind this request is that the hustle-bustle due to increased party activities is disturbing him and the people living in the vicinity besides commuters travelling on ever busy Green Belt Park Road. This is just the beginning as the people are being galvanized towards the party but what is important for the people running the affairs of the party in Jammu and Kashmir is that they should not go for shortcuts and by passing rules as J&K is a Union Territory now which under no circumstances will allow flouting of rules in any sense. It is advisable for the AAP and even other political parties to mend ways as days when J&K was a state have gone and the incumbent dispensation in UT implements rules and regulations in letter and spirit thus making it necessary for one and all to follow rules. As far as the AAP office in Jammu is concerned, the party should find a place having all the facilities, especially the parking to avoid action against those who come with vehicles to visit the office as ‘Chalta Hai’ culture has become a thing of the past.