While addressing party workers, Vishwas had said that he will attack BJP, but will not comment on Raje
The rift within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) surfaced once again on Wednesday, with senior party leader and former Delhi Convenor Dilip Pandey questioning colleague Kumar Vishwas for being "soft" on Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Pandey also launched direct attacks on the Congress leader.
"Bhaiya, you criticise Congress leaders but you say that you won't attack Vasundhara Raje. Why?" Pandey stated on Twitter, referring to a speech delivered by Vishwas while addressing the party workers from Rajasthan on Saturday.
In a video of the speech, Vishwas is heard saying that he will attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan, but will not make any comments on Raje's personal life.
"We will not do negative politics to topple the Maharani. We should be least concerned about what she does in her private life," he told the party workers. Vishwas also hit out at senior party leaders, especially those close to National Party leader Arvind Kejriwal.
Earlier in May, AAP's Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan had called Vishwas a "BJP agent", who was "plotting a coup" in the party, following which he had threatened to quit. Then the leadership managed to pacify him and made him the party's in-charge in Rajasthan.
The voices of dissent against the poet-turned-politician have been making rounds ever since the party's humiliating defeat in the Delhi Municipal polls held in May. Kumar, along with some other party leader, had objected to the party's claim of EVM tampering during the elections.
Pandey, who quit as AAP's Delhi Convenor after taking moral responsibility for the defeat, said his tweet should not be misinterpreted. "I have tweeted everything I had to say and I don't want to comment further," he said.
Pandey's comment has, however, reflected the tension simmering between Vishwas and other party leaders. Vishwas has been giving controversial public statements for the last two months, and has also accused the "coterie" around Kejriwal for hatching a conspiracy against him.
...& ANALYSIS
- These voices of dissent within AAP will have an adverse impact on the political future of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The party leadership must take immediate steps to pacify the members.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kumar Vishwas and Vasundhara Raje")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}