Grandson of former prime minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri and Aam Aadmi Party leader Adarsh Shastri shares his views over his future and role in AAP. Shastri is right now busy rebuilding AAP in Delhi and spreading its wings across India. He is also playing a key role in AAP's recently started Delhi Dialogue.
Q. How have you evolved with AAP even as lot of leaders got disenchanted with it and left?
A. My resolve with AAP over the period of time has strengthened. I feel it is a party which is in its infancy. This is a learning process and I am happy to say that people who joined and left party were basically opportunists. And through this process we have been able to weed out opportunists from our party.
Q. How do you see your role in AAP in days ahead?
A. Delhi Dialogue is just beginning. It is an initiative where we create a blue print for Delhi. If we form the government, which we are very confident of, this Delhi dialogue will become a continuous process of advice to government and a blueprint … a mechanism and a vision for deliverables. An action document for our government. Secondly, I am also involved in building party in other states like Uttar Pradesh and Himachal.
Q. So you are with AAP for a long haul and would not leave the party like others did?
A. Oh Absolutely.
Q. Are you open to fighting Delhi elections?
A. I am open of course but that is a decision that party has to take. I am basically a soldier of the party … whatever party decides I will certainly do that.
Q. How do you look at PM Narendra Modi's performance in last few months?
A. Modiji has come to power on basis of dreams which he was able to show to people and which they found convincing ... if he does any great work we will be supporting that. Unfortunately he seems to be only a person who is focusing being a demagogue ... somebody who is not been delivering at ground level … so whatever policy statement vision statement you make if they are not deliverable at ground level then you will lose trust of people and that has already started happening.
Q. How Arvind Kejriwal has evolved as leader because a lot of people are saying he is undemocratic?
A. He is among the biggest democrats … and that's the basic tenet of AAP as well. I really cannot think of any other political party which has that kind of internal democracy where people can voice differences openly. He gives opportunity to all and hears their views. Then decision is made on basis of consensus.
Q. What is your view about Congress which was your grandfather's party too?
A. I think there is a crisis of leadership firstly and lack of organisational structure … Reality of matter is that when leader of a party appears to be reluctant to take leadership either due to competency or any other issues … than party is at a loss. Congress is proving to be not in sync with aspirations of today's India.
Q. A hypothetical questions - In case Congress, which is finding problems in leadership, gives offer to Arvind to join Congress. Will it be supported?
A. (Laughs) Congress has to first adopt and adapt to AAP values. If, Congress is willing to adapt to AAP principles and willing to merge itself into AAP then there should be no problem ... So why not as Arvindji is AAP's leader.
