With an aim of establishing a foothold in student politics and increasing its support base, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will set up its students wing in Gujarat ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The students wing of AAP — Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) — which has already started its activity in its mother state Delhi, is in the process of mobilising its functionaries in Gujarat.
“Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti has started working among the students of various universities, but its set up is yet to be formed,” AAP’s state spokesperson Harshil Nayak told PTI, adding that they will soon announce it officially.
AAP’s state convener Sukhdev Patel terms the exercise as a political move for the character building exercise of the youth and to address issues like corruption prevailing in the education system.
“CYSS will work for character building of university students...it will be planting the seeds of idealism in them,” Sukhdev Patel said.
On the question of contesting university elections, Patel said: “Contesting election is a good expression, it is not a bad work. If it is needed, we will definitely plunge into the elections.”
The move may seem difficult when the seven government-run universities are well-captured by Congress’ students wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and BJP’s student wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
A youth worker of AAP and a rights activist Jignesh Mewani believes that the party’s move will give students an ideal option for youths and they do not have to make a choice between NSUI and ABVP.
On whether a college-goer will trust AAP, Mewani said: “AAP being the flavour of the season, youth will be automatically get attracted as it has come up with the new form of democracy.”
“Corruption has distorted every facet of life in our society, but neither NSUI nor ABVP talk about it...AAP is rightly filling the vacuum,” Mewani, who has been associated with land rights movements, said.