Aam Aadmi Party cadre in upbeat mood

If the party loses in the just-concluded elections, it would rather prefer to sit in the Opposition

In Mumbai, second-year law student Arpit Sharma, one of the youngest members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and party member Mayank Gandhi are busy making arrangements to organise a flash mob at Azad Maidan on Sunday, when the Delhi Assembly election results are scheduled to be announced.

Clearly, AAP members are preparing to celebrate victory. “It depends on how you define victory,” says Gandhi. “For us, whether we win 20 seats or 30 seats, it is a victory… We are ready to celebrate either way,” he says, adding he and his party workers were desperate to see a change in India.

“If we get 20 or less, we will be a model Opposition. We are here to show ethical politics… And, we are all for a re-election if a dishonest party wins.”

Gandhi is seen as a clear-headed person, passionate about AAP and yet, objective about the problems within the party. In fact, when the party's national council member, Surajit Dasgupta, recently resigned from the party, he had words of praise for Gandhi and wondered why Gandhi was staying on though he didn't agree with most things in AAP.

Dasgupta might not have realised the possibilities that stare at AAP once the results are out. In case of a hung Assembly, AAP has to either join hands with one of the other parties or resign and force re-elections. A third possibility is a split within AAP. Gandhi doesn’t rule out any of these.

“We will certainly not join hands with anyone. As for some of us leaving AAP to join one of the other parties, in case we win 20 seats, at least seven (a third) will have to leave. I don’t see that happening, as people in the party are too committed to do that.”

He cites the instance of the recent sting operation on AAP leaders. “You saw the footage; not a single one had accepted the money that was offered.”

The young Sharma is inspired by Gandhi’s passion. He says AAP is prepared to show the country’s political parties what a responsible opposition should be like. He, however, admits the sting operation damaged the party’s reputation and so did Anna Hazare’s opposition of his name being misused.

Asked about the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Sharma quips: "Definitely! It's Namo for India and Arvind for Delhi."

Senior AAP leader Prashant Bhushan rules out a split in the party over forming a government. "We will get a majority. In case there is no majority, we will be in the Opposition or go for another election," he says.