AAP a party with 'agitational DNA': Nilekani

My style of working is not giving sound bytes to OB vans, says Nilekani

Former Infosys founder and Congress candidate from Bangalore South, Nandan Nilekani,today said the Aam Aadmi Party is not a factor in the Lok Sabha elections and it is a party with "agitational DNA".

"I'm confident of winning from Bangalore south, I'm also sure that AAP is not a factor in Bangalore south, it is a party with agitational DNA,"he told reporters here in response to a question on AAP being a factor in elections as it shares his idea of clean politics.

Speaking at meet the press programme organised by Bangalore press club and Reporters guild, he said, "India needs deep reforms and I think we have to work with the system to bring in those reforms rather than agitating."

"My style of working is not giving sound bytes to OB vans," he added.

Nilekani formally took the political plunge on Sunday when he joined Congress a day after the party named him as its candidate from Bangalore South, where he is taking on five-time BJP MP Ananth Kumar in a tough battle.

To a question on whether Congress was a bad choice looking at the serious corruption charges against it, Nilekani said "I cannot decide my politics based on the passion of the day...It is not that the other party has the great clean image either, we know the problems we had for the last five years in the state."

"I look forward to working with the party because party is going through change; I have been invited to be part of the change, I would like to do that," he added.

To a question on being fielded against Ananth Kumar, Nilekani said "For everything there is a time and the time has come for someone to go, that time has arrived;... Bangalore South had MP for last five years, but there is a fatigue factor now. They need change and I represent that change."

"I think the constituency needs clean, capable local person, somebody who has worked selflessly; ...Every where I go there is a strong desire for change. I have got tremendous support," he added.