New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party’s bitter feud exploded at a meeting held near Delhi today where rebel founder members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were dropped from an important panel in what presages their possible exit from the party for challenging Chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Amid high drama, a resolution to remove the two dissident leaders was passed by around 230 of around 300 national council members present in the meeting. After making an emotional speech, party convenor Arvind Kejriwal left the venue before the resolution to remove the two leaders was introduced by Manish Sisodia.
It was a murder of democracy. Everything played out in accordance with a predetermined script and the resolution was moved and passed within minutes completely disregarding laid down procedures. It was a total farce, said a visibly agitated Yadav.
Yadav’s supporters Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha were also removed from the national executive at the meeting. Bhushan alleged that there was bogus voting in the meeting and Kejriwal came fully prepared to “kick us out” from the party.
Whatever Kejriwal was heard saying in a sting yesterday was played out in the entirety in today’s meeting. There was no distinction between members and others. There was no discussion, no secret vote, no showing of votes in the meeting, the eminent lawyer said?
Yadav alleged the violence was pre-planned and that a number of NC members opposed to the resolution suffered injuries as they were heckled by “bouncers” and “outside goons. All the while Kejirwal stood by pretending that he was helpless, said Yadav.
The Kejriwal camp countered the allegations saying the dissident duo was “cooking up stories to get sympathy. They should respect the decision of the party,” partly leader Ashutosh said. Both Bhushan and Yadav said they will stay within the party and carry forward their fight for internal democracy.
We will neither leave the party nor break it. We will reform and reform the party,” they said. The AAP will now move its disciplinary panel to remove Yadav and Bhushan from the party altogether, sources said.
Violence marred the meeting with supporters from both camps shouting slogans and pushing and shoving each other outside the venue. Shortly before the meeting began, Yadav staged a brief dharna alleging that many members were not allowed to attend.
I am told that at least 15-20 legitimate members, who have been sent invitations, are not being allowed inside,” Yadav told reporters outside the venue at Kapashera on the outskirts of Delhi.
Almost 10 days of negotiations have failed to bridge the gap that emerged after the party’s disastrous national election debut last year and that has widened in the days since the party scored a spectacular victory in the Delhi assembly elections. A senior party member sai thadt the party’s break up cannot be ruled out.
Bureau Report
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