Damning disclosures by Mayank Gandhi and the Rajasthan unit of the AAP reveal that Arvind Kejriwal's clique not only manipulated the outcome of the National Executive meeting in Delhi, where it was decided that Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan be removed from the party’s PAC, but his cronies also threatened senior leaders with a gag order to conceal the truth.
The 11-8 verdict by the NE in favour of the duo’s removal should be seen afresh after Gandhi’s verdict and the revelations in Rajasthan. It seems Kejriwal and his gang managed to manipulate the voting through subterfuge, threats and backroom maneuveres.
Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav after the AAP's national executive meet on Wednesday. PTI
Had the party allowed free and fair voting, if the votes were not managed, the outcome could have much been closer; it could have been even embarrassing for the Kejriwal faction.
On the face of it, senior leaders Yadav and Bhushan were removed from the party's PAC after a majority decision. But as pointed out by Firstpost on Wednesday the margin of the fractured verdict and the manner in which it was secured by the Kejriwal faction shows the NE meeting was similar to a kangaroo court that just announced a pre-decided verdict.
But it could easily have been a 10-10 tie, an embarrassment for the Kejriwal faction. Incremenating evidence of the party’s reluctance to act against Yadav and Bhushan is trending on twitter and Gandhi’s blog.
Before the NE meeting, the Rajasthan unit of the party had authorised Dr Rakesh Parikh, a well-known diabetologist and one of the senior members—to represent the state. The state unit, according to revelations made by Parikh late on Wednesday night, had passed a resolution opposing any decision on Yadav and Bhushan before a proper hearing.
But the AAP national secretary did not allow Parikh to attend the meeting. The Kejriwal faction instead asked someone called Sunil Agiwal to represent Rajasthan, who according to the ongoing twitter war among party workers, ‘betrayed’ the state unit by ignoring its resolution.
And now Gandhi, who had abstained from voting, has also spoken out against the decision. In his blog, the senior AAP leader has explained his absence and expressed his annoyance with the proceedings of the NE.
He says:
“I abstained to vote, because of two contrary reasons
1. Arvind needs a smooth working in the PAC. So, I agreed that PB and YY may be out of PAC and take some alternate important roles.
2. I was taken aback by the resolution of removing them publicly, especially as they themselves were willing to leave. Also, this decision to sack them was against the overwhelming sentiments of volunteers from all over the world.
So, while I agreed that they can step down from the PAC, the manner and intention behind the resolution was not acceptable. Hence, the decision to abstain.”
“Yogendra said that he understood that Arvind did not want them in PAC, as it was difficult to him to work together. He and Prashant would be happy to stay out of PAC, but they should not be singled out. Two formulas were put forward by him.• That the PAC be reconstituted and new PAC members be elected through voting. PB and YY will not put their candidature.
• That PAC continue to function in the present form and YY and PB would not attend any of the meetings."
So, what does Gandhi’s blog tell us? One, Kejriwal threw a fit and emotionally blackmailed others into supporting his decision to remove Yadav and Bhushan. This wasn’t about principles or idealism; it was just about his ego.
Gandhi’s revelations raise several questions: Were some other members of the NE also tricked or threatened into accepting Kejriwal’s diktat against the two senior leaders? Is Kejriwal running a political party or a tin-pot dictatorship where rivals are ejected through conspiracies?
It is to Kejriwal’s benefit that he has fled to Bangalore, a hiatus that now seems to have been planned well in advance.
Had he been around, Kejriwal would have found it difficult to face the mounting evidence against Arvind Aadmi Party.
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