Arvind gets his way, dissident duo eased out
5 March 2015 12:40 AM GMT
Party Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Mayank Gandhi, an AAP leader from Mumbai stayed away from the meeting. Bhushan and Yadav, who were on a collision course with party Convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal refused to accept the offer of the ruling faction to resign and be appointed heads of party’s legal and farmer cells.
The ruling faction pushed for an ‘amicable’ solution asking the dissident leaders to “respect the mandate of the people,” however, the dissidents argued that the AAP was formed to bring a “difference in the way politics was practised” in the country and people reposed faith in the party to bring about that change.
Though Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stayed away from the meeting, he kept a close tab on the unfolding drama at Kanjhawala in South-west periphery of the metropolis. To avoid confrontation and bring pressure on the dissidents, Kejriwal even resigned as the national convenor of the party ahead of the crucial meeting.
However, at the end of the marathon meeting, the duo said that if the leadership wanted them out they would seek a vote and have their exit recorded through a democratic process. In the end, the ruling faction got their way. Eight of the 19 present opposed exit of the duo. The dissident votes were those of Bhushan, Yadav, Professors Anand Kumar, Ajit Jha, Rakesh Sinha, social activists Christina Samy from Tamil Nadu, Subhash Ware from Maharashtra and Asha Pant.
The resolution on Yadav’s exit was brought upon by his known bête noire Naveen Jaihind, who had unsuccessfully contested from Rohtak parliamentary seat. The other prominent leaders on the ruling faction are ministers Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, Delhi convenor Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Pankaj Gupta, former MP Ilyas Azmi and and poet Kumar Vishwas.
The two leaders left the stormy session understandably downcast. While Yadav maintained that he would remain a dedicated party worker, Bhushan left saying that a majority decision will prevail. The national executive also rejected Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation as National Convenor. Having got his way in the PAC, Kejriwal is leaving for Bengaluru for a 10-day health sabbatical at a naturopathy clinic. In his absence, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia would discharge duties of the chief minister.
The ruling faction pushed for an ‘amicable’ solution asking the dissident leaders to “respect the mandate of the people,” however, the dissidents argued that the AAP was formed to bring a “difference in the way politics was practised” in the country and people reposed faith in the party to bring about that change.
Though Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stayed away from the meeting, he kept a close tab on the unfolding drama at Kanjhawala in South-west periphery of the metropolis. To avoid confrontation and bring pressure on the dissidents, Kejriwal even resigned as the national convenor of the party ahead of the crucial meeting.
However, at the end of the marathon meeting, the duo said that if the leadership wanted them out they would seek a vote and have their exit recorded through a democratic process. In the end, the ruling faction got their way. Eight of the 19 present opposed exit of the duo. The dissident votes were those of Bhushan, Yadav, Professors Anand Kumar, Ajit Jha, Rakesh Sinha, social activists Christina Samy from Tamil Nadu, Subhash Ware from Maharashtra and Asha Pant.
The resolution on Yadav’s exit was brought upon by his known bête noire Naveen Jaihind, who had unsuccessfully contested from Rohtak parliamentary seat. The other prominent leaders on the ruling faction are ministers Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, Delhi convenor Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Pankaj Gupta, former MP Ilyas Azmi and and poet Kumar Vishwas.
The two leaders left the stormy session understandably downcast. While Yadav maintained that he would remain a dedicated party worker, Bhushan left saying that a majority decision will prevail. The national executive also rejected Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation as National Convenor. Having got his way in the PAC, Kejriwal is leaving for Bengaluru for a 10-day health sabbatical at a naturopathy clinic. In his absence, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia would discharge duties of the chief minister.
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