Panel fails to iron out rift in AAP

The crisis within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) further deepened on Monday following the failure of the specially formed party panel to thrash out a compromise formula.

The party has called an urgent meeting of the National Executive on Wednesday to take “action” against senior party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan for “anti-party activities”. The move is being seen as an attempt to force them out or completely sideline them. 

“The three-member panel comprising Anand Kumar, Gopal Rai and Pankaj Gupta has failed to evolve a compromise formula. The Kejriwal faction has hardened its stand and they are set to pass a resolution against Yogendra and Bhushan. The resolution is aimed at forcing them out or completely sidelining them,” a senior party leader told Deccan Herald.

Sources said the panel met all the prominent leaders, including Yadav and Bhushan.
In a swift action, party convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal decided to convene the National Executive just a week after it last met on Tuesday. Party spokesman Sanjay Singh indicated harsher action against Yadav and Bhushan while announcing Wednesday’s meeting.
“Attempts are being made to remove Arvind Kejriwal as the national convenor,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, adding that the leaked letters made AAP look like a “joke”.

The party would not be able to function smoothly when senior members of party target Arvindji and make efforts to defame the party,” the AAP leader said. “We will also discuss the leakage of letters at the executive.”

The decision to convene the executive was taken following a written complaint by Delhi AAP leader Dilip Pandey, who along with Durgesh Pathak had spearheaded the offensive against Yadav and Bhushan in the last meeting of the executive.

Pandey, in his letter, alleged that “Yadav’s office was conspiring against Kejriwal” before the Lok Sabha elections and it picked up pace after the polls. In a point-by-point rebuttal, Yadav and Bhushan have said they targeted Kejriwal at no stage. They also said they never suggested that the party should contest 400 plus seats

“This was unanimously approved by the NE, including by AK (Arvind Kejriwal) himself. In fact, AK endorsed the suggestion in the meeting by saying ‘Lets go for broke’”, said the rebuttal. They also denied supporting AAP Volunteers Action Manch.