Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, May 21: In a post defeat statement to daijiworld, drubbed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate M R Vasudeva, who managed to garner only 5442 votes in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, admitted that his decision to contest the elections was a miscalculated move. He said he failed to understand the ineffective structure of the district unit of AAP before the party chose him as its candidate.
The financial deficiency coupled with lack of manpower hindered him from carrying out a vociferous campaign across the district, he said.
"There was strong opposition within the party to my candidature as I did not hold the primary membership of the party before being chosen as a candidate. This had sparked internal bickering in the AAP and a few people created much clamour. Many in the AAP backed me strongly, infusing courage and toiling hard for my success," he said.
When asked if the AAP had followed the norms in selecting the candidate as promised earlier, he said he was unaware if any such procedure was followed by the party. "I was requested by the party members to contest the elections, following which I filed my name. I agreed to enter the fray to serve the people of the district. I was moved by the anti-corruption agitation that gradually gained momentum across the country," he said.
"The party structure in the district was very fragile as it was marred with differences of opinion. There was no consensus among the party workers on many strategies drawn ahead of parliamentary elections. There was no active participation of the cadres to bring in votes for the AAP," he explained.
He also attributed his humiliating defeat to the party's top brass. The AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi relinquished the administration without consulting the voters. "People across the nation lost hopes on the party due to the political situation that unraveled in Delhi," Vasudeva said.
He hinted that he would actively participate in the party's activities in the coming days, if the party assigns him specific assignments.