AAP stages march, stopped way behind finishing line

Spurred by participation of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and several Left workers, the Aam Aadmi Party today managed to stage a notable protest march but failed to reach its avowed destination - 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister's residence.

Amid the ongoing sit-in by party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his two cabinet colleagues at the lieutenant governor's office, the AAP leaders and workers began the march from Mandi House but were stopped at Parliament Street police station, way behind the finishing line - 7, LKM.

Sporting almost all the key party faces, including those of its Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh and Kejriwal's Cabinet colleagues Kailash Gahlot and Rajendra Pal Gautam, the AAP march lasted for over two hours, with the party spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj claiming a participation of over 45,000 people.

The march concluded peacefully without any untoward incident amid the AAP workers and leaders lambasting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lt Governor Anil Baijal over a host of issues including the demand of full statehood for Delhi and condemnation of IAS officers' "strike."
Expressing solidarity with the AAP, CPI(M) supremo Yechury joined the march at Mandi House and said, "Joining the protest rally to the Prime Minister's residence today to express serious condemnation over the manner in which federalism, a fundamental feature of our Constitution, is being undermined by this BJP Central government."