AAP internal feud gets uglier with release of new sting on Kejriwal
In the new audio tape Kejriwal is purportedly using expletives against Bhushan and Yadav during a conversation with a volunteer.
As the warring factions engaged in a no-holds-barred attack on each other levelling variety of allegations, a new audio tape surfaced in which AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal purportedly using expletives against Bhushan and Yadav during a conversation with a volunteer.
He was also heard threatening to float a new party in the tape which was described by AAP as another conspiracy to malign Kejriwal. People close to Bhushan and Yadav said both the leaders were shocked to hear the tape and realised that there was no point in continuing with the talks as Kejriwal had already decided to dump them from the party.
Ashutosh: This is a conspiracy to destruct the image of Arvind Kejriwal
Reacting to the audio tape, AAP member from the Kejriwal camp, Ashutosh said, "Even if it is his voice, he should not have used such words. You should understand the conversation in a different context. You should appreciate that anyone can talk to the national convenor. This means that this is a conspiracy to destruct the image of Arvind Kejriwal."
He said, "Till now the authenticity of the tape is not been proved. If people are trying to break or defeat the party, it's natural for someone to get agitated. Yesterday when the deal was not done, suddenly you see a sting, I see a design, a conspiracy to malign image of AAP & Arvind Kejriwal."
What will National Council decide?
A full-blown war broke out in AAP on Friday with dissidents Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav daring the leadership which appears all set to throw them out at its crucial National Council meeting on Saturday. Sources said Kejriwal's camp was likely to move a resolution at the meeting to remove the two dissident leaders from the party for allegedly conspiring to replace Kejriwal from AAP convenor's post.
Earlier, addressing a joint press conference, Bhushan and Yadav launched a blistering attack on Kejriwal accusing him of compromising on party's founding principles and stifling internal democracy. They claimed that Kejriwal even threatened to float a new regional party with all its MLAs as he "cannot work with us".
The Kejriwal camp strongly rebutted the allegations by the dissident duo and accused the two founding members of working to ensure party's defeat in the Delhi polls, saying they had links with AAP's breakaway faction AVAM which had alleged that the the party got "shady" funds of Rs 2 crore last year.
Kejriwal camp to produce proofs against Yadav and Bhushan
Party sources said the Kejriwal camp will produce evidence against Yadav and Bhushan. This includes, emails and communication between the leaders. Meanhwile, Karawal Nagar MLA Kapil Mishra said he has asked Kejriwal to move a proposal to expel the dissident leaders from the party.
"Enough is enough. We are proved right YY (Yadav) and PB (Bhushan) are working against AAP. National Council should bring a resolution to sack them from the party," Mishra tweeted. "I have asked Arvind that a resolution should be moved to sack the two from the party," Mishra added.
Meanwhile, ahead of the National Council meeting tomorrow, Bhushan and Yadav have demanded videographing of meeting, secret ballot in case of voting and a neutral person to conduct the proceedings.
An informal meeting by the NC members close to Yadav and Bhushan held at YMCA here decided to move seven resolutions in the meeting tomorrow. The demands are more or less similar to what the Bhushan and Yadav camp has been demanding. "After two hours of meeting, we came to a conclusion that there are at least seven points that would need first and foremost attention during the meeting," said an NC member requesting anonymity.
He added "first, AAP should be brought in the ambit of RTI voluntarily. Second, current Lokpal of the party Admiral Ramdass should chair the meeting. Third, AAP should constitute a committee to work on the lines of Election Commission including the selection of candidates.
"Fourth, state-level decisions of the party should be left to state executive bodies. Fifth, party should expand its wings in those states where elections are going to be held in near future. Sixth, voting right ought to be given to active volunteers also. Seventh, amendments made in the constitution of the party on 2014 should be repealed,"