New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS): After its unexpected win in the Delhi assembly elections last December, the one- -year-old Aam Aadmi Party has been dubbed a “catalyst” in Indian politics and has opened its doors to an eclectic range of people across the country - from bankers to media professionals, from corporate honchos to political mavericks.
Not only did over five million people across the country join the rookie political organisation in 12 days - which is hoping to take a plunge in general election due in April-May - but many top guns from India Inc and well known personalities from various fields have jumped on the bandwagon of the AAP.
IANS lists some of them:
Meera Sanyal- Sanyal quit her job as the chairperson of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and joined AAP Jan 5. The 53-year-old banker from Mumbai has worked with RBS for 6 years and earlier with ABN AMRO Bank for 15 years. She also holds an Executive MBA degree from Harvard Business School. Having contested Lok Sabha elections in 2009, she lost against Milind Deora.
V Balakrishnan : The 48-year-old chief financial officer (CFO) at Infosys quit his high-paying job and joined AAP Jan 2. Having worked as a corporate leader for 22 years, he was viewed as a top contender for the CEO's post at Infosys.
Adarsh Shastri- Grandson of late prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri joined AAP Dec, the 40-year-old left tech giant Apple to join AAP, pledging on Twitter: “Will try and live up to my grandfather's name, we all feel his vacuum in these trying times.”
Kanubhai Kalsaria - A former BJP legilsator joined AAP Jan 1. He has lead agitations in favour of farmers in the stae Kalsaria spearheaded the agitation against detergent giant Nirma's proposed power plant in the state.
Mallika Sarabhai - She is a renowned danseuse from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The 60-year-old defines herself as a communicator and is the daughter of a classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and renowned space scientist Vikram Sarabhai. In 2009 she contested as an independent and lost to L.K. Advani in Gandhinagar. She has also protested against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the Sadbhavna Mission in Sep 2011.
Sameer Nair - The 48-year-old CEO of Star Entertainment has been one of the founders in the launch of NDTV Imagine. As he joined the party prior to the Delhi Assembly elections he looks after the communication strategy of AAP.
Ashutosh - A former television journalist and editor of IBN 7 has more than 10 years of experience in the field. The 44 year old editor is a native of Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh. With an M Phil degree in Soviet Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) he is now the party spokesperson.
Others prominent people who have joined AAP are:
Alka Lamba - Former general secretary of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee
Remo Fernandes - Well-known singer-choreographer from Goa.