Shanti Bhushan, AAP's founder member, has criticised Arvind Kejriwal
Shanti Bhushan, a founder member of the Aam Aadmi Party, has said Arvind Kejriwal should be replaced as its chief and the BJP's Kiran Bedi is a good candidate for chief minister, delivering a knockout blow just before the February 7 Delhi election.
"What is important is that a person who has a clean image, efficient image and can provide a good government becomes chief minister. If Kiran Bedi becomes Chief Minister she is likely to provide a good government for Delhi," Mr Bhushan told NDTV.
Mr Bhushan also described as a "master stroke" the BJP's move to name Kiran Bedi as its chief ministerial candidate.
Asked whether he believed Mr Kejriwal, the face of AAP, should be replaced as its chief, Mr Bhushan said, "Yes, in due course he should be replaced. He has moved away from the ideal of Swaraj or democracy." A panel of 300 founder members of the party would have to decide on it, he added.
His views have revived focus on cracks within AAP in the middle of its campaign for next month's assembly polls in Delhi, pitched by Arvind Kejriwal as an "AAP vs BJP" fight.
Mr Bhushan's son, Prashant Bhushan said, "He's a senior member, can express his opinion, but I do not agree with Shanti ji's assessment."
Mr Bhushan worked closely with Kiran Bedi and Mr Kejriwal as part of social crusader Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign in 2011. The group split in 2012, when Mr Kejriwal and the Bhushans formed their political outfit.
The former union law minister had gone public with a stinging critique of Mr Kejriwal after the party's abysmal performance in last year's national election. He described the AAP chief as a "great leader and campaigner" but questioned his organizational skills.