The induction of four leaders from rival BJP and INDIA bloc ally Congress into its fold has boosted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Assembly polls, with AAP sources claiming that the influx is likely to continue. On the other hand, the Congress has enough grounds to be worried over the “strengthening” of a potential ally at its expense.

“There is a barrage of leaders who want to join us, especially from the Congress. We have refused entry for around 60-70 leaders. Not all joinees are contenders for Assembly poll tickets but a few of them certainly are,” a source within the AAP said.

The latest entrant into the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is three-time MLA and senior Congress leader Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed. Incidentally, Ahmed had hosted a breakfast for Congress MP Rahul Gandhi ahead of the Lok Sabha polls when the latter’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra had passed through North East Delhi.

Ahmed’s son Zubair and daughter-in-law Shagufta too are now in the AAP. While Zubair was the Babarpur district president of the Congress, Shagufta is the sitting councillor from ward 227.

Earlier this month, former two-time BJP MLA from Laxmi Nagar B B Tyagi and another ex-BJP MLA Brahm Singh Tanwar joined the AAP, days apart from each other.

According to sources within the AAP, the party is following strict criteria for admission. “These criteria include whether the new inductees are strengthening the organisation from the ward level up to if they fill a leadership vacuum. We are also looking for grounded leaders who are not necessarily politically active but bear a good image,” a source said.

The source noted that in 11 Assembly seats in Delhi, including Gandhi Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Rohini and Chattarpur, the AAP had a “leadership vacuum”, with some sitting MLAs facing anti-incumbency. :In Laxmi Nagar, for example, Brahm Singh Tanwar will fill the void left by Kartar Singh Tanwar, who joined the BJP in June,” the source said.

Strong “community image or local connection” of leaders is also high on the AAP’s priority list. “Either they must have the support of a community, for instance Muslim or Gurjar or Dilli Dehat (rural), or they must be non-political figures who are known in their areas for developmental work. Ahmed, for example, has a strong connection with his Mateen community while Tanwar is seen to be influential among the Gujjars,” a source said.

The AAP also needs “new leaders” to slow down the Congress, which competes for the same vote share. This is especially in areas with significant Muslim populations like Northeast Delhi and the BJP bastion of East Delhi. AAP’s electoral fortunes in the Northeast Delhi Lok Sabha seat and the civic wards falling under it have seen a decline post the 2020 Delhi riots

“In Northeast Delhi, we now have Ahmed, while in Old Delhi, we have Shoaib Iqbal. Our Okhla MLA, Amanatullah Khan, is the party’s Muslim face in Southeast Delhi. These leaders have been active in Delhi politics for decades and will ensure that the Congress is not able to dent our vote share,” the source said.

The Congress dismissed the impact of its leaders, especially from the Muslim community, deserting it. “The Muslim community is not with individual leaders and opportunistic people like Ahmed but is with the Congress. Dilli ka musalmaan Rahul Gandhi ke saath hai (The Muslims of Delhi are with Rahul Gandhi). Soon you will see people shower love on the Congress as the Dilli Nyay Yatra traverses through the same neighbourhoods that some leaders thought was their fiefdom,” a senior Congress leader said.