AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan at a press conference in New Delhi
The crisis in the Aam Aami Party or AAP appears to have breached the point of no-return, and the group could be just one day away from a split. Tomorrow, the party's national executive council of 400 members will meet to decide the future of senior leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, who claim they are being forced out of AAP by Arvind Kejriwal for demanding more transparency and internal democracy.
"Why is it that if we raise any questions at all, our intent is questioned?" Mr Yadav asked at a press conference today. "If the five points of reform we have raised are accepted, we will resign from all bodies of the party," Mr Bhushan said.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who holds the party's top post of Convenor, has still not commented on the chasm that developed about a month ago when Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav were removed from the party's powerful decision-making body, its Political Affairs Committee. AAP spokespersons confirmed last night that 10 days of negotiations between the warring factions have failed to broker a compromise. Since then, the two sides have accused each other publicly of lies and forgery.
Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav, both founding members of AAP, dismiss accusations from Mr Kejriwal's supporters that they want him removed as the top man or Convenor of the party. The war has ripped through India's youngest political party, which won a record mandate in the Delhi election, just two months ago.
The national executive council, whose hundreds of members include different state representatives, meet tomorrow in Delhi, and a final call on Mr Kejriwal's status, as well as the future of Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan is expected to be taken at the session. Both Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan are expected to attend the conclave.