New Delhi: I’m the boss. That makes my diktat on party matters final — Chief Minister of Delhi and Convener of Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal has made it clear.
As expected, the National Executive (NE) of AAP has voted out both senior leaders and members of the original core team — Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan — of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the top decision-making body.
Prahsant Bhushant and Yogendra Yadav in a file photo. PTI
Out of 21 members, 19 participated in the voting. It was a close fight as 11 voted against the duo and eight in favour. Simultaneously, on the expected lines, the NE rejected the resignation of Kejriwal.
Coming out of the meeting Kumar Vishwas, who headed the NE on Wednesday, said, "All the members are united with the party. The NE through voting discharged Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan of the PAC and now they will be given new responsibilities. Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation has been rejected. There were other discussions on Mission Vistaar, party’s disciplinary committee etc."
The message of Vishwas was clear. Despite voting in the NE, Kejriwal and his loyalists have successfully booted both the dissenters out of this top decision-making body. And, by mentioning about the ‘disciplinary committee’, Vishwas subtly gave a hint that any anti-party — read anti-Kejriwal — voice will be ruthlessly curbed.
AAP's ideologue and current chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav has also lost his post of chief spokesperson.
Three key issues on which hours of stormy discussion and debate took place were:
· The resignation tendered by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from the post of AAP’s convener.
· The ouster of two senior leaders – Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan - from the National Executive.
· On whether an alternative position should be given to these two leaders under a 'compromise' brokered ahead of the meeting and during the brainstorming session.
Ahead of this crucial meeting, speculations were rife that both Yadav and Bhushan might even be shown the door as a section close to Kejriwal and the Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia were strongly lobbying for it. The war was full blown on social media and Twitter.
However, party insiders told Firstpost that a ‘compromise formula’ would be drawn, which will be more a win-win situation through which “egos of respective individuals and groups would be taken care of". And it happened.
The formula of compromise:
· Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan out of PAC.
· They have been given other responsibilities. Yadav to head party’s Kisan Morcha and Bhushan as a member of Lokpal.
· NE rejects Kejriwal’s resignation.
"There’s no surprise element in the outcome of the NE meeting. Everything was pre-decided. And, it was also on expected that Kejriwal won’t attend the NE. He put his coterie at the fore-front to fight the battle. And, the coterie ensured whatever Kejriwal wanted – to shunt Bhushan and Yadav; and retain his position as convener. His resignation was a sham, a drama, the art he has perfected," remarked a former member of one of the key decision-making bodies in AAP.
It all started in the morning, much before the NE meeting was scheduled.
The army of thousands of highly motivated and committed volunteers, who made it possible for the new political outfit to make its mark in the Delhi assembly election 2013 and again helped it win Delhi with a stupendous victory on 10 February this year, was back in action.
Outside the resort at Kapashera village bordering Delhi-Gurgaon in the north-western part of Delhi, where the National Executive meeting of AAP was in progress, hundreds of volunteers gathered much ahead of scheduled time demanding for an amicable solution. This band of young volunteers who came from various parts of Delhi and Gurgaon donning party’s trademark topi, were holding small placards in their hands displaying the old adage – ‘United we stand, Divided we fall’.
While, the meeting was in progress, various groups of volunteers in large numbers were found waiting impatiently for the outcome.
"I'm only a volunteer, a foot soldier like many others in this team. I pray for an amicable solution so that the party can get over the present crisis. We want the party to remain intact and serve Delhi," said Shailendra, who was from Gurgaon.
Manveer, who sounded optimistic, was quick to add, "Neither are we from any camp nor do we believe in the existence of any sub-groups within AAP. We want all our leaders to remain in the party. All the volunteers who have gathered here want the party to remain strong and united. Hope something good will emerge out of this meeting."
Besides volunteers, another key figure that emerged on Wednesday in brokering the ‘compromise formula’ between the two factions and played an important role in combating the crisis was Kumar Vishwas.
According to sources and eye-witnesses, Vishwas was active right from the beginning of the meeting. Rather it would be more pertinent to say that this poet-turned-politician had been making hectic parleys over the last three days to broker a deal and keep the party intact.
It's a known fact that Vishwas is strongly with Arvind Kejriwal as a backup and it became evident during the party's poll victory celebration. Vishwas with his wife by his side was present throughout, with Kejriwal’s family — whether at the AAP’s Patel Nagar office or at the Kejriwal’s residence. He escorted Kejriwal from his residence to Ramlila Maidan.
"After the 2013 assembly election, Vishwas went into hibernation for some time, because he got into minor controversies due to his impromptu speech. But, now he has composed himself and is a strong support to Kejriwal. Moreover he has a clean image," an AAP member said.
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