NEW DELHI — The discontent within the Aam Aadmi Party is expected to come to a head today with the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) scheduled to meet this evening to decide the fate of 'rebel' leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, and their supporters. Action may also be taken against Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha, who have stood by the duo.
Yadav and Bhushan might be referred to the AAP disciplinary committee.
When thousands of AAP volunteers came together on Tuesday to attend the Swaraj Samvad' convention organised by Yadav and Bhushan in Gurgaon, the overwhelming consensus was that they didn't want to desert the party.
Well over two-thirds of those assembled in Gurgaon said they wanted to stay in the party, while a fourth wanted to form a new one. Less than two percent said they had trust in the party leadership. This may be a skewed ratio, considering the leanings of those who had come forward to attend the convention, but it was interesting that the impulse behind most of these AAP volunteers was to stand by the party.
Tuesday's convention saw the formation of a new group called 'Swaraj Abhiyan', following questions that have been raised on the inner party workings under the current AAP leadership.
Copy of the resolution passed by #SwarajSamwadpic.twitter.com/86xvOYN64X
— Swaraj Samwad (@swarajsamwad) April 14, 2015
Bhushan and Yadav stepped up the ante against Kejriwal and his supporters on Tuesday, suggesting that there were only three options left before them to counteract the damage they perceived had been done to AAP. They suggested removing the present leaders, forming a new party, or to start a movement.
#SwarajSamwad has set standards of transparency & volunteers' participation today. A model for political parties! pic.twitter.com/AaHhMQLEBm
— Anupam Singh (@_AnupamSingh) April 14, 2015
"If a new party has to be built, then we should not make the same mistake. My personal belief is there are several issues which are plaguing the country," said Bhushan. "There should be a movement. If we achieve that then we can make it into a political party."
(with agency inputs)
Contact HuffPost India