AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal at the party's National Council meeting on Saturday (Press Trust of India photo)
Despite a weekend that saw his party divided by bitter infighting, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told reporters today, "There is no need for worry. The party is doing fine. We will manage it well."
On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party removed founding members and rebels Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from important posts, clearing the way for their expulsion. The party's ombudsman or Lokpal, Admiral Ramdass, was also replaced; he alleges he learnt of the action against him through the media.
Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan, discredited by AAP for lobbying against Mr Kejriwal and working against him in the recent Delhi election that he won with a record mandate, described the weekend's developments as "the murder of democracy." They refute allegations that their sole agenda was to have Mr Kejriwal step down as Convenor - the top post in the party - and insist that what they were pushing for was more democracy and transparency in a party that pledged both to distinguish itself from India's older and more traditional political outfits.
Mr Bhushan has hinted that the duo is not averse to founding their own party - sources say that will depend on an evaluation of the support that Mr Yadav and he can count on among the thousands of volunteers who played a key role in the phenomenal success of AAP in the recent Delhi election.