File Photo: Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav. (Press Trust of India)
Terming Chief Minister-Lt Governor confrontation in Delhi as an "ego tussle" and "brinkmanship", expelled AAP leader Yogendra Yadav today hit out Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for handling a "genuine" issue in a "very immature" manner.
Mr Yadav, who floated a 'political movement' Swaraj Abhiyan after he was ousted from AAP less than two months ago following a bitter public spat with top leadership, also said they have decided not to form a political party for now.
He said they were not focusing on AAP which was just a "regional party" but his forum was trying to "deepen alternative politics" in the country and it may "intervene" by supporting some candidates in Bihar and other poll bound states.
Mr Yadav, whose outfit is rallying people who "feel cheated" by the developments in AAP, said the attitude adopted by Mr Kejriwal on the issue of powers of Delhi Government will be counterproductive.
"I feel that a very genuine issue is being raised in a very immature manner," Mr Yadav said, without naming Mr Kejriwal.
"Delhi should have a full statehood. An elected government of Delhi should be able to appoint and transfer officers like any other elected government. Unfortunately, our Constitution and the law does not permit it right now.
"The transition from where we are and where we should be has to be made with lot of patience, negotiations and tact," he told PTI.
"Unfortunately, what we have witnessed is confrontation, ego tussle, brinkmanship. I fear that this way of handling this kind of genuine issue will be counterproductive," he said.
Asked whether he has any regrets over his ouster, Mr Yadav said that, "It would be silly to say that I have no regrets, It would be stupid to say that I loved being dragged out and it would be foolish to spend rest of my life just regretting that."
Mr Yadav claimed lakhs of people "who entered politics for the first time in their life feel cheated, dejected" and through Swaraj movement efforts are to bring them together and give them hope once again of alternative politics in the country.
Elaborating on the role of the platform floated by him and another expelled AAP leader Prashant Bhushan, Mr Yadav said "Swaraj Abhiyan is an attempt to deepen alternative politics in the country but for us politics does not mean fighting elections and elections are not merely a way to somehow form the government".
"As of now we are not a political party so obviously there is no question of contesting Bihar elections as Swaraj Abhiyan."
Mr Yadav said, "At the same time because we are a political movement we are committed to intervening in the democratic process.
"The manner in which we can intervene would be by way of creating an alternative agenda, by way of creating public awareness, by way of opposing tainted candidates or by way of exposing unfair practices in elections."
He said, "In some exceptional cases we may on an experimental basis support some people's candidates who may not be affiliated with any political party."