From Bhushan-Yadav supporters being heckled to goons allegedly beating up a number of National Council members opposed to the resolution, high drama and chaos marked the day of events as the bitter camp war escalated between Kejriwal loyalists and Bhushan- Yadav supporters outside the National Executive meeting even as a pro-Kejriwal wave was quite visible in the air.
Yadav arrived at the venue amid protests by Kejriwal supporters, who shouted anti-Yadav and Bhushan and demanded their immediate ouster from AAP. As voices of sloganeering and hooting for Kejriwal rose up, Yadav sat on dharna outside the venue, ahead of the meeting, for around 20 minutes alleging that some National Council members opposed to Kejriwal camp were not being allowed inside the meeting. There were a large number of supporters from both Yadav camp and Kejriwal camp on the both side of the road, carrying placards and banners. During the National Executive meeting, Kejriwal supporters shouted and raised slogans against the two dissident voices of the party. “I was hardly allowed to speak; those against me started sloganeering against me. Slogans were shouted during Kejriwal’s address to National Council,” said Yogendra Yadav.
With placards reading Gaddaron Ko Bahar Karo, Kejriwal Tum Aage Badho Hum Tumhare Saath Hain the groundswell of support for Kejriwal was palpable. Supporters of AAP resorted to hooliganism and allegedly heckled him during the meeting for supporting Prashant-Yadav camp.
“They engaged in hooliganism and those who tried to stop were booted out. Is this why we made the party through blood and sweatIJ” asked Prashant Bhushan. While AAP leader Sanjay Singh denied reports of violence, he said that AAP member Ramzan Chaudhary (the man allegedly roughhoused) was shouting during Kejriwal’s speech. But allegations saying he was thrashed are erroneous.
A large number of AAP volunteers from both camps descended at the venue of the meeting at Calista Resort on Kapashera border and engaged in sloganeering against each other. A section of volunteers supporting Kejriwal celebrated the ouster of Bhushan and Yadav after the decision was made public.
Police personnel had to throw an escort ring around Bhushan and Yadav as the rabble-rousers tried to approach them after they came out of the meeting.Heavy police force and RAF had been deployed in the vicinity of the resort where National Council members were allowed inside after registering at a counter.