AAP rift escalates, Kejriwal terms it ‘ugly battle’, to skip National Executive meet

New Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not attend the AAP National Executive meeting tomorrow when it meets to decide on the fate of its two senior leaders — Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, sources said.

They said Kejriwal, who is AAP’s National Convener, has given the pretext of ill-health and official commitment for not attending the meeting.

Kejriwal will leave for Bengaluru tomorrow evening for naturopathy treatment for a period of 10 days.

Kejriwal had tendered his resignation as AAP National Convener in the last National Executive meeting held last week, but it was unanimously rejected. He had also skipped the meeting of the party’s highest decision-making body then.

Sharp differences have come to the fore within AAP with allegations that senior AAP leaders Bhushan and Yadav were trying to “remove” Kejriwal from the post of party convener.

AAP has convened a meeting of its National Executive tomorrow to decide on all issues, including the latest controversy over differences in the party.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had said that he was hurt by the current rumblings in the party and would focus on Delhi.

“Deeply hurt and pained by what is going on in the party; this is betrayal of trust that Delhi posed in us,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

“I refuse to be drawn into this ugly battle. Will concentrate on Delhi’s governance. Will not let people’s trust break under any circumstances,” he said.

AAP rift escalates, Kejriwal terms it ‘ugly battle’

The rift within AAP escalated today with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal terming it as an “ugly battle”, while his camp launched an all out war accusing senior leaders Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan of wanting to have a “vice-like grip” on the party.

Breaking his silence for the first time on the issue, Kejriwal said he was “hurt and pained” by what was going on within the outfit as all this has “betrayed” the trust imposed by the people.

Kejriwal, who is the party’s national convener, said he refuses to be drawn into this “ugly battle” and will concentrate on Delhi’s governance.

On the other hand, Kejriwal’s camp launched an all out attack on the Bhushans.

Ashish Khetan, a key member of the AAP’s Delhi unit, accused party patron Shanti Bhushan and his son and daughter — Prashant and Shalini — of wanting to control all the wings of the party.

“Those who are floating the ridiculous one man party theory wanted to make AAP one family party,” Khetan said on twitter.

“Father son daughter trio of Shanti Prashant & Shalini (sic) wanted to have a vice-like grip on all party wings, from PAC to policy committee to National Executive,” he further said.

Ashutosh, another party leader close to Kejriwal, said Bhushan should have raised his issues at the NE meeting and not before the media.

Shanti Bhushan, a founder member, sought to play down the rift, asking both Prashant and Yadav to support Kejriwal.

“Differences within the party are not good. Prashant and Yogendra(Yadav) should support Arvind (Kejriwal),” he said in a letter to the party’s national executive.

Sharp differences have come to the fore within AAP with allegations that Prashant and Yadav were trying to “remove” Kejriwal from the post of party convener.

AAP has convened a meeting of its national executive tomorrow to decide on all issues, including the latest controversy over differences in the party. Sources said a proposal may be mooted in the NE meet to remove Bhushan and Yadav tomorrow.

Sources added that Kejriwal is unlikely to attend the meeting tomorrow. (More) PTI PR VMN

Sources said Kejriwal will leave for Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment for a period of 10 days, starting March 5.

In the midst of the war of words, Yadav said he along with Prashant have always maintained that Kejriwal should lead the party.

Asked about speculation that they may be shown the door at tomorrow’s meeting, Yadav told PTI, “I and Prashant have always given a standing offer to quit the PAC so that new blood, having representation of gender and region, could be brought in”.

On his part, Prashant denied that he was considering quitting the party.

“I am not considering leaving the party. My role in the party is to try and ensure it follows its founding principles and ideals.”

“If we are removed, it is of no consequence,” he said.

“The moment I feel the party is irretrievably on the path of any other party following the high command culture, not having transparency, I will have no option but to leave the party,” he said.

Meanhwile, attacking Shanti Bhushan, Ashutosh demanded that the party patron should explain the “conspiracy” to replace Kejriwal by Yadav.

“Shanti Bhushanji should also explain what was the conspiracy to replace Arvind with Yogendra ? Did it not tarnish the image of party ? Shanti Bhushanji should explain why did he say Arvind to be replaced with Yogendra during elections and after NE meet. That is indiscipline,” Ashutosh tweeted.