The Aam Aadmi Party: From nothing to something, but what exactly?

It has announced that it now qualifies as a national party. Aditi Phadnis reviews the rise of the 'great disruptor'

When it was launched in October 2012, many dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an intervention by a set of well-meaning political dilettantes.

Those who gave it credence would say that it was ‘different’: “A political alternative that appeared realistic mainly due to three novelties: One, its initial leadership was drawn from diverse walks of life and completely apolitical with only a kindergarten learning of Gandhian philosophy and Swarajya, courtesy the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement; two, the party did not latch itself to any philosophical underpinnings and did not require political marketing for creating an ideological mass cadre —