JOIN USOutraged volunteers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have started a social media campaign for bringing back ousted leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav into the party’s Political Affairs Committee.
An online petition is also in circulation, seeking proof of charges against the two leaders which led to their ouster. Meanwhile, the party leadership has given some signals of reconciliation as well.
“We all love Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. We are here to stay. We should not say that we are quitting the AAP. We will criticise mistakes and appreciate good work,” says the online campaign. A photo of both the leaders with Bhushan wearing an AAP cap has been posted as the profile picture of the campaign.
The online petition is captioned, ‘AAP Volunteers Seek Proof Against Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan Because Of Which They Have Been Expelled From The PAC’. The petition has already received endorsement from 4,000 volunteers.
“Both the leaders are getting support from state units as well. Rajasthan unit has taken the lead,” a senior party leader told Deccan Herald.
Yogendra Yadav was quick to respond. “Flood of messages of solidarity and outrage from party volunteers. I appeal to all that we retain our faith in the idea of Aam Aadmi Party,” he said in a post on Facebook.
Meanwhile, senior party leader Kumar Vishwas has posted a photo in which he is celebrating Holi with Yogendra Yadav.
Vishwas had chaired the National Executive meeting and remained neutral during voting. He has been insisting on unity in the party. This might be a reconciliation move from Arvind Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, supporters of Arvind Kejriwal seem to have changed their strategy. They have stopped targeting Prashant Bhushan. They are posting messages on social media that speak highly of Bhushan.
The tweet of Ashish Khetan, which was posted a few hours before the National Executive, is being retweeted. Khetan had apologised for his anti-Bhushan tweets. Following this line of isolating Yogendra Yadav, leader of Mumbai AAP Anjali Damania attacked Yadav and praised Bhushan.