AAP supporters call for unity as they wait outside the venue of the national executive meeting of the party in New Delhi yesterday.
IANS/New Delhi
The Aam Aadmi Party yesterday announced it had removed two top leaders, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, from its decision-making Political Affairs Committee (PAC).
Party spokesman Kumar Vishwas made the announcement after a six-hour meeting of the National Executive that followed a virtual war between the two leaders and loyalists of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“The National Executive passed a resolution and it has been decided that Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav will not serve the PAC any more. They will be given new responsibilities in the party,” he said.
He underlined that the AAP remained a united force and would do all it can to meet the aspirations of the people of Delhi and the country.
“Everyone (in the party) will together take the party forward,” Vishwas added.
The National Executive also rejected Kejriwal’s offer to resign as the national convener.
The nine-member PAC is the supreme body in the AAP, which was formed in 2012 and which stormed to power in Delhi last month by sweeping 67 of the 70 seats in the assembly.
Kejriwal, who did not attend the meeting and left yesterday for Bengaluru for 10 days of naturopathy treatment to check his high sugar level, said on Tuesday that he was “deeply hurt and pained” by the wrangling within the party.
Yesterday’s meeting was called after Bhushan and Yadav were accused by Kejriwal supporters of leading a virtual rebellion against the AAP leader.
Earlier, Bhushan, a Supreme Court lawyer and an AAP founder, told reporters: “We have been told that for the time being we are no more in the PAC.”
He declined to elaborate and walked away, looking somewhat shaken.
Speaking separately, Yadav, a known political pundit, said the AAP decision would be announced by the party and he was no more authorised to make announcements on behalf of the party.
“As a disciplined worker of the party, I will try to fulfil whatever role is assigned to me to the best of my capacity.”
He added: “The AAP has been formed with the sweat and labour of people. It should never dash people’s hopes.”
Earlier in the day he said he would “neither split nor quit” the party.
“...whatever seems to be a problem is actually an opportunity to move ahead.”
He said that AAP was a small party and there was a lot to be learnt by everyone.
Yadav said that for the past three days there had been many messages from party volunteers on the social media asking them to stay united.
“I am sure that in the evening we will be able to tell you that we have moved a step forward and not backward.”
