Rajmohan Gandhi joins AAP, may contest from Delhi - interview // AAP's second list for Lok Sabha polls

By Dilip -
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has got a shot in the arm. Eminent thinker and writer Dr Rajmohan Gandhi has officially joined the AAP on Friday. He has been a supporter of the AAP for a few months. Rajmohan Gandhi is likely to get an AAP ticket in the Lok Sabha polls. He is likely to contest from one of the seven seats in Delhi.
After joining the AAP, he said, "I joined the party looking at the enthusiasm. The party has grown from the roots. It does not see politics as dirty and something that should be avoided. I'm open to contesting but contesting against Narendra Modi is a very long shot. At one point, the Congress was an aam aadmi party, now it is the khas aadmi party. BJP is the rich man's party."
The 78 years old Gandhi is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and the eldest son of Mahatma's youngest son Devadas Gandhi. Rajmohan Gandhi's younger brother Gopalakrishna Gandhi was the Governor of West Bengal and ambassador to many countries. Another brother and eminent writer, Ramachandra Gandhi died a few years ago. Their mother is the daughter of Rajaji.
Rajmohan Gandhi spoke to CNN-IBN after joining AAP. Here's the transcript of the interview:
CNN-IBN: The first question that comes to mind is what attracted you to the AAP?
Rajmohan Gandhi: this is a party that has emerged from the dharti, from India's soil. It is a people's party above all. Secondly, it is a party that is fearlessly opposing corruption. These to me are the most compelling reasons. Plus the very fact that so many people who have been drawn to it have felt some kind of hope from it. I have also felt that. I have genuinely felt that here is something new, something fresh ...there is something, something with its focus on grassroots politics, with its focus against corruption. So I am quite drawn to it.
CNN-IBN: Would you be contesting elections if the party wants it? Is that also on the cards?
Rajmohan Gandhi: It is a possibility. If the party wants me and if I also find it appropriate, I will be willing to contest.
CNN-IBN: Is the AAP close to Gandhiji's ideals? For instance, it has this philosophy of swaraj, which is not liked by certain people but is very close to the AAP?
Rajmohan Gandhi: Well there is a very direct link ... After all the AAP was started on Oct 2. Between the swaraj concept and Gandhiji's hind swaraj, there is a kind of connection. But look- we should not focus so much on whether this is in accordance with Gandhiji's principles, because Gandhiji lived a long time ago. We have to look at today's situation and see what is appropriate today.
CNN-IBN: Why not the Congress? Why was that not an option for you?
Rajmohan Gandhi: Because I have seen the performance of the Congress party. I have been pained by it. I have been disappointed by it. There are many people in the congress as well as in the BJP as well as in the other parties that I respect and admire. But I could not feel that I could put my heart and soul at this fairly advanced age into anything other than the AAP.
CNN-IBN: You were saying that the Congress at one point of time used to be an aam aadmi party and you have also said that BJP is now being perceived as a party that belongs to the rich people. Why provoked that kind of judgement for you. Why is the Congress not an AAP any more?
Rajmohan Gandhi: This is what I have observed and felt looking at it over a period of time. So that is my suspect.
CNN-IBN: Would you be contesting against Mr Narendra Modi?
Rajmohan Gandhi: There is no such suggestion.
CNN-IBN: But if it comes to that?
Rajmohan Gandhi: Purely hypothetical question.
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party or AAP is reportedly trying to persuade Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, to challenge Narendra Modi in the national elections due by May.
 
Rajmohan Gandhi, 78, joined AAP today. A leading academic and author, he is the oldest son of Mahatma Gandhi's youngest son Devadas Gandhi.

Mr Modi is the BJP's prime ministerial candidate and his party has not yet decided where to field him from, though BJP president Rajnath Singh asserted recently that he would contest the Lok Sabha elections.
 
Rookie party AAP is first off the block already having released a first list of 25 candidates for the general elections, among them that of Kumar Vishwas to take on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

A second list is expected soon. Adarsh Shastri, grandson of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, industrialist Rajiv Bajaj and popular singer Rabbi Shergil could figure on that list, sources said. 
 
When contacted by NDTV, Mr Bajaj refused to confirm reports of his candidature. "Please check with AAP. I don't want to say anything at this stage," he said. Mr Bajaj is Managing Director of Bajaj Auto.

He had earlier this week praised Mr Kejriwal saying "If I may say so I'm a fan of Arvind Kejriwal. And I hope he wouldn't mind my saying this that I have had the occasion to meet him on more than once and I resonate very strongly with his thoughts and ideologies."

There is a buzz that AAP could field Adarsh Shastri from Lucknow, for long seen as a BJP stronghold; it was former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's constituency. The son of senior Congress leader Anil Shastri, 40-year-old Adarsh quit a job with technology giant Apple to join AAP in December last year.

Rabbi Shergil could get the AAP ticket from Amritsar, where he would be pitted against cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu of the BJP. 

Former Delhi minister Rakhi Birla, a 26-year-old former journalist could be be nominated from New Delhi, sources said. Congress spokesman and communications department head Ajay Maken is the MP from the prestigious seat.

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