NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal asked delegates at the party's National Council meeting on Saturday to choose between him and dissident founder members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. Moments later, the two leaders were voted out of the party's National Executive - the voting figures were 247 to eight, as the party later said.
This morning, AAP released a video of his 45-minute address to the 250-odd members at the meeting.
Accusing Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav of playing the party false, Mr Kejriwal is heard in the video saying, "I say this with sadness that at a time when the public supported us, our own friends stabbed us in the back."
The infighting in the top leadership had been on for nearly a year, he said. There had been fights at every National Executive meet, with "screaming and shouting," he added.
"Take the party, don't kill it like this. Now you have to decide if you want to be with me or them," said Mr Kejriwal. "If you select them, then I will step down from all posts and work as an ordinary party worker."
Reminding his audience of the mandate in the Delhi assembly polls, which he called "historic", and the "achievements" of the one-and-half-month-old Delhi government, he is heard saying that when the party should be in the news for its work, it is hitting the headlines for the infighting.
Mr Kejriwal did not vote and left after making the speech.
Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav, who claim they were forced out for demanding more accountability and transparency in the party, later said the voting took place amid violence and fear.
"It was murder of democracy," said Mr Yadav, alleging that bouncers dragged his supporters out of the meeting so that Mr Kejriwal's supporters could prevail. Mr Bhushan alleged "goondagardi (hooliganism)".
AAP rubbished the allegations. "The talk about bouncers is totally false. We have signatures from 247 people, eight people voted in their favour," said party leader Sanjay Singh.