Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal (file pic)
Hours after Anna Hazare said that his former protege Arvind Kejriwal "is a good man" and is "not an enemy," videos were reportedly released by one of Anna's supporters to local TV channels that suggest a deep mistrust as Anna expresses concerns to supporters that funds collected in his name are being misused by the Aam Admi Party, founded by Mr Kejriwal in 2012 and the point of estrangement between the two men.
The videos - allegedly shot in December by Anna's supporters - compound a damaging week for Mr Kejriwal who has been clocking long hours campaigning for the Delhi elections, scheduled for December 4.
On Sunday, he received
a letter from Anna, 76, questioning him about his funding; the next day, at a press conference, a heckler smattered ink across his face. (
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Mr Kejriwal's colleagues in the Aam Admi Party say they are bracing for worse. "We expect more mud-slinging in the next 48 hours," said Yogendra Yadav. Another party leader, Kumar Vishwas, attributed the emergence of the videos to a conspiracy between the BJP and the Congress.
The party released its manifesto today, a move seen by some as an attempt to deflect attention from its current crisis.
What Anna has been seeking an explanation for is whether funds raised during a massive anti-corruption campaign he fronted in 2011 have been used for the Aam Admi Party's campaign in Delhi. Mr Kejriwal, 45, has vowed not to contest the Delhi election if that charge is proven true.
In 2011, Mr Kejriwal was Anna's main lieutenant as they campaigned for the creation of a national ombudsman or Lokpal, empowered to investigate graft among elected representatives and bureaucrats. After a strong start that mobilized vast public support, the movement dissipated.
Mr Kejriwal then founded his party; Anna said he could not support a political movement.