Shazia, Gopinath quit AAP, hit out at Arvind Kejriwal
25 May 2014 10:27 PM GMT
The simmering discontent in the fledgling party since its Lok Sabh poll debacle came to the fore as Ilmi, one of the founder members, announced her resignation from all party posts, claiming that there was lack of ‘inner-party democracy’ and a ‘crony clique’ around Kejriwal was calling the shots.
Gopinath, pioneer of low-cost air travel in India who joined the party in January, targeted Kejriwal saying a head of a party cannot indulge in ‘shoot and scoot politics’ and questioned his refusal to furnish a bail bond in the defamation case filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Ilmi, who lost from Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat, said, ‘After much thought and deliberation I have decided to give up my membership of AAP and resign from all positions within the party.’
Ilmi, however, clarified that she is not joining any other party.
‘My decision to leave the party is triggered by the lack of inner-party democracy, especially from a party that constantly talks of Swaraj (self rule),’ she said. Attacking some AAP leaders who are considered close to Kejriwal, she said, ‘We fight against cronyism but we have a crony clique which runs the party and takes impulsive decisions which we learn about later. I find it amazing that we cannot follow the principles of Swaraj within our own party.’
‘When a brilliant person like Arvind who espoused the concept of Swaraj of collective making is unable to follow it personally within the party, then doesn't it become incumbent to point out the same,’ she added.
In a communication to AAP’s Karnataka Convenor Prithvi Reddy, Gopinath said, ‘I would like to resign from the membership of the Aam Aadmi Party with immediate effect because of increasing differences with the party leadership and its ways.’
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