Despite media reports stating that the camp led by AAP National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal -- whose feud with Bhushan and Yadav is at the centre of the infighting -- has issued warnings to AAP volunteers and members from attending the meet, the Bhushan-Yadav camp said that over 4,000 people have signed on to come. Sources said that the party cannot possibly issue notifications or threaten to suspend 4,000 members from all over the country, as then it will be left with only it's 67 MLAs and few others. Dismissing news of threats, a source called the Kejriwal camp nothing but "paper tigers".
In the face of much speculation, the Aam Aadmi Party's so-called rebel faction, led by Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav categorically denied forming a breakaway party. Sources close to the top leadership stated that the aim is to stay within the party and "reform it".
This came mere 12 hours before the all-India conference, the "Swaraj Samvad", the Bhushan-Yadav camp has called for AAP members and volunteers, on April 14. The camp along with leaders from different state units held a meeting of the coordination committee on Monday evening.
Despite media reports stating that the camp led by AAP National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal -- whose feud with Bhushan and Yadav is at the centre of the infighting -- has issued warnings to AAP volunteers and members from attending the meet, the Bhushan-Yadav camp said that over 4,000 people have signed on to come. Sources said that the party cannot possibly issue notifications or threaten to suspend 4,000 members from all over the country, as then it will be left with only it's 67 MLAs and few others. Dismissing news of threats, a source called the Kejriwal camp nothing but "paper tigers".
Though there had been a section of very angry AAP members who wanted to form another party altogether, it is learnt that the senior leadership in the Bhushan-Yadav camp is dissuading them from such an action. A senior leader said that ground reality shows people are tired of new parties being formed all the time, rather they want some concrete action from the existing ones.
Hence the decision to stay and reform the party from within. A large section had also wanted Prashant Bhushan to use his legal expertise against the Kejriwal camp and the MLAs with criminal charges.
However, the senior leader said that Bhushan has, for now, declined from doing so, seeing it as "beneath his dignity".
Many state leaders have signed on for the meet as they profess to be tired of the neglect the party has shown them in the past year, says Tamil Nadu leader David Thomas. "During the Delhi elections, most of the volunteers helping the party were from outside Delhi," he said. "Then we were truly a national party. Now, the leadership should show that it can help other states too, not just use it's volunteer base."
In a marked departure from the secretive way the Kejriwal camp conducts business, this meeting has been thrown open to the media.
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