AAP crisis deepens as Kumar Vishwas defies Kejriwal dictat

The crisis in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following Delhi civic poll debacle took a new turn on Tuesday with senior leader Kumar Vishwas saying he will take a decision soon, a remark that set tongues wagging about his future course of action.

Vishwas virtually defied Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's dictat to senior leaders not to air their views and grievances before cameras and spoke to media in the evening to drop the bombshell that all was not well in the party yet.

In veiled criticism, he targeted Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, saying they can continue to be the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively but one should not ignore those party workers who have suffered for building the party.

"I have already said that I do not want to become the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister or party chief. I am not going to join any party or any Swaraj andolan. I have not come for that. I will take a decision tonight and I will not seek apology for his statements," an emotional Vishwas told reporters.

Sisodia had on Monday said that there was criticism about the video post of Vishwas in the PAC meeting.

Sisodia hit back at Vishwas later, saying he is making statements on TV which is demoralising AAP volunteers. “Why doesn't he come to the PAC?” Sisodia asked.

His response came amid reports that some MLAs had approached Kejriwal with allegations that Vishwas told some of them that Delhi would soon have a new Chief Minister.

The poet-turned politician's comments came a day after his one of his bete-noires Amanatullah Khan quit the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the highest decision-making body in the party, following criticism against him. Khan continued his attack on Vishwas, who had given interviews against party leadership after poll drubbing, even after his resignation.

Vishwas, who refused to attend Monday night's PAC meeting, said he knows the people behind Khan who are trying to conspire against him. A section of MLAs from Punjab and Delhi, who are close to Vishwas, had written to party leaders against Khan while two Ministers in Delhi took to Twitter to attack the latter.

The latest outburst by Vishwas came even as Kejriwal has scheduled meetings with party MLAs to gather feedback and their views on the functioning of the party and government. Kejriwal is also planning a reshuffle in the party and possibly in the government too.

Sources said the leadership is also miffed at Vishwas as they tried to assuage his feelings by making Khan quit the high-level body. Vishwas believes that a faction led by Sanjay Singh is trying to undermine him in the party.

The party is facing such a huge crisis for the second time in a little over one year. Earlier, founder members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav left the party after the huge Delhi Assembly election victory, claiming that several undesirable elements were given poll tickets.