File Photo: Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan at a press conference in New Delhi. (Press Trust of India)
Three founding members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, today presided over a meeting where participants were encouraged to openly share any concerns about the party and its leadership.
Dubbed "Swaraj Samvad" or self-rule dialogue, the daylong event being held near Delhi is widely seen as the prelude to a breakaway party by a faction that has questioned chief Arvind Kejriwal's leadership for months.
Participants were asked in a questionnaire: "Should there be a new political party?" In a few hours, there will be a vote on it.
Among those attending the meeting is an AAP lawmaker in Delhi, Pankaj Pushkar. His arrival raised eyebrows.
AAP has warned that participation in the event will be seen as an act of rebellion.
"Swaraj Samvad is not a party function. The Political Affairs Committee and the National Executive will decide on what action needs to be taken after the meeting," senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh has said.
Yogendra Yadav responded, saying, "A party based of the principles of democracy should not be afraid of an open discussion."
The rebels have invited everyone "unhappy with the current party leadership" to speak up.
"We must take the AAP dream forward. I appeal to you as a volunteer, don't let the common man's dreams shatter," said Shanti Bhushan, who has sharply critiqued Mr Kejriwal's style of functioning in recent months.
Vinod MS, an AAP leader from Mysore, Karnataka, told the gathering: "If nothing else, Kejriwal should handle Delhi, Yogendra Yadav should take over as convenor."
Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan were removed from all important party posts last month after a public and acrimonious process.
They stand accused of working against Mr Kejriwal and trying unsuccessfully to undermine the party's campaign in the Delhi election, which ended with a record result for India's youngest party, and brought Mr Kejriwal back for a second term as Chief Minister.