NEW DELHI: Whoever said it’s all about location, location, location, could well have been talking about the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and its current dilemma over a space for its office. Battling the usual issues of price rise, UPSC row and black money, AAP is also locking horns with the NDA government over allotment of office space to the newbie registered as a state party in December last year. The bone of contention is while AAP wants that space to be in central Delhi, the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) is in no mood to listen and has offered an option in outer Delhi instead.
AAP, which was recognised as a state party after it won 28 of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly election in 2013, is of the view that it is the only recognised state party in Delhi and deserves to be allotted land in the centre of town like other parties. As per rules, a state party is given 500 square metres of land on lease by the MoUD and the party can construct its office on it.
Besides availing the benefit of being a state party, AAP is also demanding another piece of land on behalf of its four MPs. The party in July wrote to the MoUD citing a law that says a party having upto 15 MPs in any house of Parliament is entitled to 500 square metre of land in Delhi for a party office. AAP missed the opportunity of getting a built-up party office in the national capital as it failed to get the status of a national party in the general elections.
The party approached the MoUD in January this year seeking space for a party office and the ministry wrote back in March saying there were three plots available on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. After inspection, the party rejected the space as it was far from central Delhi and not well connected by public transport.
“We wrote to MoUD saying when other parties, even regional ones, could get prime land in Central Delhi, why can’t Delhi’s only recognised state party get land in the same area? The ministry told us that there is no land available in central Delhi and when we asked them to give the same in writing, they refused to oblige,” said a senior AAP leader.
The party has now sought details under RTI of available/vacant government land in central Delhi from the MoUD and awaiting the reply so that it can approach the ministry armed with the official document to counter claims of non-availability of land. The party wants to get an office space before elections are announced in Delhi as there is a possibility of AAP losing the state party tag if it fails to get the needed vote share for recognition from the Election Commission.
AAP’s present office at Hanuman Road has been given to them by a supporter and they pay a token rent of Re 1 per month. Following complaints by neighbours and space crunch, the party is also hunting for an office space on rent in Connaught Place.
“The party zeroed in on two places of 2500 sq metre each and within a week we will finalise one. We will now have to pay a rent of Rs 4-5 lakh per month but there is no choice as we want our headquarters to be in central Delhi as it is approachable and connected,” said the leader.
GROUND FACTS
■ A state party can get 500 sqm land in Delhi on lease for construction of party office
■ A national party gets built-up office space in Delhi on lease
■ AAP wants office space in Central Delhi but allotted one in Outer Delhi
■ AAP demanding land as a recognised state party
■ Also wants land on behalf of 4 MPs