What is AVAM?

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The Aam Aadmi Volunteers Manch (AVAM), a non-government organisation, was set up by dissident Aam Aadmi Party national council member Karan Singh. The AVAM with 40-45 active members has been in existence since August 2014. It was initially a part of the AAP, but after Singh was expelled, it launched a drive against the AAP.

“After the Lok Sabha elections, an open meeting of 3,000-odd member was called by party chief Arvind Kejriwal. In this meeting, Singh was given the responsibility to head the volunteer’s grievance cell. Following this, a group named AVAM came up,” said Deepak Sinha, an AVAM member.

AVAM was among the party’s core volunteers and its head Singh had separated from the party after he was expelled for “anti-party” activities. After AVAM alleged AAP of receiving funds through illegal means, the AAP on Tuesday dubbed AVAM of being hand-in-glove with the BJP. One of the AVAM members Neil has posted on his Facebook handle that he was a BJP member. However, he defended it by saying he was merely trying to cause “irritation” to AAP by doing so. “It is true he (Neil) has been in touch with Shazia (Ilmi) and has also been vocal in supporting her and (BJP’s chief ministerial candidate) Kiran Bedi but he isn’t a BJP member,” Sinha, who had left a private job to join AAP, said.

According to AVAM members, Singh had suggested many initiatives to the party such as creating a volunteer database but this was turned down by the party. Singh was offered a ticket to contest from Haryana ahead of the Assembly polls (which the AAP eventually didn’t contest).

However, AAP claimed Singh, a member of the national council, had “higher aspirations” and wanted to join the party’s top decision-making body -- political affairs committee (PAC). “He had high aspirations for himself and he wanted to be a part of the PAC, which he was denied. He also gave a few suggestions on volunteer management and we clearly told him to start groundwork in Haryana. We never offered him a ticket,” said an AAP leader who didn’t wish to be quoted.