New Delhi: The fissure in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appeared to be under control on Wednesday with the party giving in to key demands of Kumar Vishwas who has been made the in-charge of Rajasthan. The party also suspended Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan and also formed a committee to look into allegations levelled by Khan.
Earlier, on Wednesday Vishwas was threatening to quit over the attacks on him by a “coterie” surrounding Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) held an emergency meet at Kejriwal’s residence, which was also attended by Vishwas and other senior leaders.
The flurry of developments, a day after Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan resigned from the party’s PAC over a spat with Vishwas, plunged the poll-battered party into turmoil, almost reminiscent of the 2015 bitter public spat involving then AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan.
Vishwas had differed with Kejriwal on the issue of electronic voting machines (EVMs). He had refused to attribute the AAP’s recent poll losses to alleged manipulation of EVMs and had instead stressed on the need to introspect.
Here are the latest developments and updates related to the Kumar Vishwas in the AAP:
■ The AAP has suspended its Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan who had accused senior party leader Kumar Vishwas of being an “RSS-BJP agent”. The suspension is seen as a compromise after Vishwas had threatened to quit the party.
The AAP has also set up a disciplinary committee to look into the statements made by Khan against Vishwas.
In the party’s Political Affairs Committee meeting which lasted for three hours at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, a decision was made to give greater responsibility to Vishwas.
“He (Vishwas) will be Rajasthan’s party in-charge as the state goes to polls next year,” deputy chief Manish Sisodia told reporters. (PTI)
■ AAP’s PAC is being held at Kejriwal’s residence. CNN-News18 reports that the meeting will discuss following issues put forth by Vishwas: no compromise on corruption, constant communication with party workers, pro-India stand. The PAC meet will also discuss the Amanatullah Khan issue, infighting within the party and Vishwas’ future within AAP, according to the report.
■ AAP’s Political Affairs Committee meet begins, senior leaders are attending the meeting, including Vishwas, CNN-News18 reported.
■ Kejriwal had a late night meeting with Vishwas, who has threatened to quit over the attacks on him by a “coterie” surrounding the AAP convener, which appears to have yielded little result. The party had earlier sent senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh to pacify Vishwas. (PTI)
Late in the night, Kejriwal and Sisodia visited Vishwas’ residence in Ghaziabad. Kejriwal later took Vishwas to the former’s official residence at Civil Lines. (PTI)
■ Retaliating against Vishwas on Tuesday, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said people were aware that his comments would help a “particular party”. “Vishwas’ comments are only hurting the party and affecting morale. He doesn’t talk in the PAC. He should put forth his views in the PAC,” Sisodia said. (PTI)
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■ On Tuesday, Vishwas appeared defiant despite AAP’s gag order of not talking to the media and said he will keep highlighting the mistakes of the party and say what is right in the interest of the country.
Amid murmurs that he wants to head the party, the poet- turned-politician said he harbours no ambitions to become chief minister, deputy chief minister or AAP national convener.
The AAP leader was particularly upset with Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan who on Sunday had alleged that Vishwas was plotting a coup against party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and that he was an “RSS-BJP agent”.
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He said Khan was merely a “mask” behind those hatching conspiracies against him. “Had Amanatullah Khan said anything like this against Arvind or Manish, he would have been shown the door in 10 minutes,” Vishwas said. (PTI)
■ A day after accusing Vishwas of “plotting a coup” in the party, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on Monday resigned from the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC). (PTI)