The ensuing war of words between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Amanatullah Khan and his party colleagues took a dramatic turn on late Monday night when the former resigned from the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the party following a high-end meeting of the party members with Kumar Vishwas conspicuously absent.
Khan, while emerging out of the PAC meeting, categorially named Kumar Vishwas as been "planted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)" to disbalance the party. Earlier, he had just made a veiled attack on the AAP leader.
"I have resigned from the PAC. I stand by what I said about Vishwas. He is working at the behest of the BJP and the RSS. In fact, he has been planted by them to create disharmony in the party," he said.
"Vishwas ate cake with Ajit Doval and Bassi when AAP MLAs were arrested," he added.
The infighting among the party members beamed out when after Khan's resignation, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia asked all party MLAs and workers to not issue out public statements.
"No MLAs, workers should issue out public statements. We need to have trust in the party and its leadership. If there is any issue, talk to Arvind Kejriwal. He is always there," he said, while adding that such comments result in denting the image of the party.
"We have three years during which we have to work on WiFi, schools, health, etc. These small statements result adversely affect the morale of our party workers," he said.
The PAC meeting, aimed at discussing the infighting within the party with senior party leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Dilip Pandey and Ashutosh, concluded with Amanatullah resigning from the PAC.
A day before, Amanatullah, without naming anybody, asserted that some people were trying to get hold of the AAP and break the party.
"I have said that some persons are trying to get hold of the AAP and break the party. Arvind Kejriwal has also tweeted that some persons are trying to break the AAP. I am also saying the same. The BJP is behind this conspiracy. There are four AAP MLAs who are being lured that either you should make convenor or join BJP, which is offering each MLA Rs. 30 crore," he said.
"Some people of BJP have directly talked with those MLAs also. When there is a forum, the PAC in the party, where issues can be raised then what is the use of going to the media?"
Amanatullah further questioned why "those people" didn't campaign for the party in Punjab and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, hinting at Kumar Vishwas, who didn't appear for the party's various rallies during the Assembly elections.
Following this, as many as 37 AAP MLAs demanded Kejriwal to sack Khan.
The MLAs also demanded a probe to ascertain on whose behest Khan made such statement.
Kejriwal also came in defence of Vishwas calling him a younger brother.
"Kumar is my younger brother. Some people are trying to drive a wedge between us. They are enemies of the party. They should refrain. No one can separate us," he had tweeted.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)