Arvind Kejriwal to Take 10-Day Leave for Naturopathy, as AAP Battles Internal Crisis

Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, is likely to take 10 days off from March 5 for naturopathy treatment, sources in his Aam Aadmi Party have said. His second-in-command Manish Sisodia will take charge as acting Chief Minister during that time.

Mr Kejriwal, 46, has been advised the treatment by doctors because of high blood sugar and coughing. He is likely to fly to Bengaluru for treatment

His medical leave comes in the middle of full blown war in the AAP leadership, with two founder members, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, criticizing Mr Kejriwal and the party's functioning.

On Wednesday, the party's top leaders will meet and decide whether to remove Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan from the decision-making Political Affairs Committee.

"I am deeply hurt and pained by what is going on in the party," Mr Kejriwal tweeted on Tuesday morning, speaking for the first time on the raging internal battle in the party just days after its record election victory in the capital.  

"This is betrayal of trust that Delhi posed in us. I refuse to be drawn in this ugly battle. Will concentrate only on Delhi's governance," he said, shortly after party leader and founder member Prashant Bhushan went public with his criticism of him.

In an interview to NDTV, Mr Bhushan said there had been a "breakdown of communication" between him and Mr Kejriwal and he had serious disagreements with how the party is functioning.

"There is a great danger of AAP becoming a one-man show. We didn't form the party to make it like any other political party where there is a high command and one person calls the shots," he said.

Mr Bhushan's internal note was among a series of leaked letters that have exposed the extent of the crisis in AAP, which took power in Delhi last month after winning 67 of 70 assembly seats.