AAP leaders asked to shed their ‘simple’ image, behave ‘more like MLAs’
The party will now hold its meetings in prominent locations and focus more on propagating their work.
Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has asked party members to undergo an image makeover and behave “more like MLAs” than a common man, reported NDTV. Kerjiwal’s new order comes in the wake of the party’s abysmal defeat in the recent civic body elections in Delhi.
The chief minister’s decision is believed to have come after he was told that AAP’s political identity was working against them. During one-on-one meetings with 64 party legislators, most of them said that the public neither acknowledged their hard work nor took them seriously because of their “simple” image.
The major changes include the party’s offices. Currently, most AAP offices run out of the houses of party leaders. But soon, AAP, like other parties, will hold its meetings in prominent locations adorned with party posters and flags. AAP’s top brass, such as Kejriwal and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, may also start travelling with big groups, as is the norm with rival political party leaders.
AAP has also decided to focus on propagating their work. “Work was getting done, but people never realised it was done by AAP. We need to emphasise on that now,” one of the party legislators told ANI. Another leader said they had been asked to make friends in colonies to spread the ord. “People need to notice that the road was repaired by their AAP MLA,” he told NDTV.
However, AAP leaders will not change their sartorial sense and start wearing the signature white kurta pyjama like other politicians. Seemapuri legislator Rajendra Pal Gautam told the Hindustan Times that they need to attract more attention. “I have roamed like a common man in these two years, minus the white khadi suit that politicians of the BJP or Congress usually wear,” he told the daily.