Political News

Trouble continues in AAP: Mayank Gandhi speaks out against AAP executive decision to oust Yadav and Bhushan

March 5, 2015 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

New Delhi, India: Arvind Kejriwal had told his Aam Aadmi Party that he would quit as chief if Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, who have repeatedly criticized him, continued in a key decision-making panel, a party leader said in a blog post today.

Mayank Gandhi, a senior AAP leader from Maharashtra, has gone public with his strong objection to the manner in which Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, both founder members, were voted out of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) at AAP’s meeting on Wednesday.

Arvind Kejriwal is in Bengaluru for 10-day naturopathy treatment for his high sugar and coughing problem.

Mayank Gandhi’s blog post, ‘Note to Volunteers’, begins with an apology and says it would be “dishonest to accept the (party’s) gag order.”

He writes:

My presence in the National Executive is only as a representative of the volunteers. And I would be dishonest to accept the gag order. The volunteers cannot be removed from the equation; they are the source of the party. Rather than get information from selective leaks and stray statements, I have decided to give some factual details of the meeting in the public domain.

Last night I was told that disciplinary action would be taken against me, if I revealed anything. So be it – my first allegiance is to the higher truth. Here is an essence of the meeting with regards to removal of YY and PB, based on my understanding. I would request NE to release the minutes of the meeting.

Short background

During the Delhi campaign, Prashant Bhushan had threatened multiple times that he will hold press conference against the party, because of his concerns on candidate selection. Some of us were successful in somehow or other to stave off the threat till the elections. It was alleged that Yogendra Yadav was conspiring against Arvind and some evidences were produced. There were also operational irreconcilable differences and trust deficit between AK, PB and YY

On 26th Feb night when members of the NE went to meet him, Arvind conveyed that he will not be able to work as Convenor, if these two members were part of the PAC. That was the background of the NE on 4th March.

NE meeting
Yogendra said that he understood that Arvind did not want them in PAC, as it was difficult to him to work together. He and Prashant would be happy to stay out of PAC, but they should not be singled out. Two formulas were put forward by him.

· That the PAC be reconstituted and new PAC members be elected through voting. PB and YY will not put their candidature.

· That PAC continue to function in the present form and YY and PB would not attend any of the meetings.

The meeting broke for some time and Manish and others conferred with the Delhi team of Ashish Khetan, Asutosh, Dilip Pandey and others. After reassembling, Manish proposed a resolution that YY and PB be removed from the PAC and it was seconded by Sanjay Singh.

I abstained to vote, because of two contrary reasons

1. Arvind needs a smooth working in the PAC. So, I agreed that PB and YY may be out of PAC and take some alternate important roles.

2. I was taken aback by the resolution of removing them publicly, especially as they themselves were willing to leave.Also, this decision to sack them was against the overwhelming sentiments of volunteers from all over the world.

So, while I agreed that they can step down from the PAC, the manner and intention behind the resolution was not acceptable. Hence, the decision to abstain.

The other details may come when the minutes of meeting is released.

This is not a revolt, nor is this some publicity ploy. I will not go to the press. There may be some repercussions overt and covert against me. So be it.

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Related Topics: Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal, Indian Politics, Mayank Gandhi, Yogendra Yadav

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