Moments after they were booted out of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) National Executive, party’s founding members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Saturday made series of allegations against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his supporters. Calling Kejriwal a “dictator”, they accused his supporters of manhandling and throwing them out. Yadav described the ouster as ‘murder of democracy’ and did not rule out taking legal recourse against it.
Alleging that the AAP, which had emerged to give the people “alternative politics that the other existing parties were not providing”, had become the “same kind”, Yadav and Bhushan said that the National Executive meeting was hijacked by the Kejriwal camp. They termed the National Executive meeting “unconstitutional and illegal”.
Attacking Kejriwal for his “dictatorial” tendencies and for “ruthlessly stifling” voices of dissent, Bhushan said after the meeting that all options were open to them to challenge the decision. “It is true that we can move the court, Election Commission or call another meeting of the council. All options are open,” he said.
Addressing a Press conference at Press Club of India soon after they walked out from the National Executive meeting, the duo said the meeting was hijacked by the Kejriwal camp and it took place in a chaotic atmosphere.
Disappointed with the turn of events, the two ousted members said it is “ironical” that a party, “born out of the Jan lokpal movement”, is not allowing its internal lokpal l Ramdas to attend the meeting citing possibilities of “confrontation”.
Providing “inside details” of the meet, Yadav said, “He (Kejriwal) gave quite a dramatic speech... for around one hour and it was only full of accusations against us. He also accused Shanti Bhushan of anti-party activities without taking his name. Moreover, he threatened to resign if we were not removed.
Then 10 people, including MlAs like Kapil Mishra, stood up and started shouting slogans calling us traitors. The drama went on for 5-7 minutes during which he (Kejriwal) stood like a statue.”
Accusing the CM of adopting wrong ways to assert their authority, Yadav said that the party convener left soon after the speech, citing “official engagements” after making Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai the chairman of the meet. Within seconds Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia “moved the resolution” to remove them.
Bhushan pointed out that he had an “inkling” that there would be some “scripted or stage managed” as per the kind of activities the party was indulging in the past few days. He also slammed the use of “hooliganism” as a tool during the meet.
“Every MlA was directed to bring 50 people to the meeting. They engaged in hooliganism and those who tried to stop were booted out. Is this why we made the party through our blood and sweatIJ This is a grave hour of crisis for the party,” Bhushan said. The two leaders also accused Kejriwal of instigating the NC members against the dissident leaders in an “orchestrated performance” and of inaction when certain members were being heckled.