AAP MLA Vinod Kumar Binny has dissented once again
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is battling an embarrassing public confrontation with its MLA, Vinod Kumar Binny, who has called Arvind Kejriwal a "liar" and threatened to expose the "truth" about the party at a press conference tomorrow.
Mr Kejriwal charged the lawmaker with angling for a post or a chance to contest the national election, due by May. "First he came for a ministerial post. Then he came for a Lok Sabha seat. He never spoke up at a meeting of legislators," he said of Mr Binny, who had stopped short of an open revolt when he was left out of the Delhi AAP cabinet in December.
The MLA, a former Congressman, shot back, "It is the biggest lie if he has said that I went and spoke to him about a Lok Sabha seat or elections or an election ticket."
This is the first open dissent within the ranks of the one-year-old party that came to power in Delhi on a wave of public support for its promise of clean, corruption-free politics.
In a statement today, the AAP said it had no place for those nursing personal ambition. "Anyone who wants to leave is free to leave the party," it said, making it clear that Mr Binny's welcome was wearing thin.
Last month, Mr Binny had stormed out of a meeting in which the AAP decided its members for the cabinet, but he was reportedly talked out of escalating the crisis. (
Vinod Binny denies rift with party over cabinet post)
After a late night meeting with two AAP members Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh, he later denied that he was upset and said he was willing to serve the party in any capacity.
Mr Binny was reportedly then promised the post of parliamentary secretary to Chief Minister Kejriwal, which is equivalent to cabinet rank.