Prashant Bhushan Reaches Out to Arvind Kejriwal: Reconciliation on the Cards?

New Delhi:

Awaiting Arvind Kejriwal, who returned to Delhi this evening, is a message from Prashant Bhushan, a founder member who the Aam Aadmi Party recently sacked from a key decision-making panel.

"If he wants I can meet him with Yogendraji, to sort out the problems to whatever extent possible," Mr Bhushan said, striking a conciliatory note. He had recently been critical of Mr Kejriwal, who heads AAP and is also the chief minister of Delhi.

Mr Bhushan said he has also texted Mr Kejriwal hoping he is well and suggesting a meeting. "I want to meet Arvind and end the controversy; will want to talk to him one-on-one when he reaches Delhi," he said.

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, top AAP leaders, were removed from the Political Affairs Committee or PAC of the Aam Aadmi Party earlier this month by Mr Kejriwal's supporters at a meeting that the AAP chief did not attend.

He flew to Bengaluru on a 10-day break the very next day and was being treated at a health farm for acute cough and diabetes.

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AAP leaders have indicated that they are now set to sack Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav from the party at a meeting on the 28th of March. The move is said to have Mr Kejriwal's approval. A party lawmaker has run a signature campaign seeking their removal, which has reportedly been signed by most of the party's 67 MLAs in Delhi.  

While Mr Kejriwal was away, four party leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, enumerated why Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav were removed from the PAC, alleging in a public statement that they indulged in "anti-party activities" like attempting to ensure that AAP lost the Delhi elections and trying to malign Mr Kejriwal's image.

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Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav countered those allegations in an open letter addressed to AAP volunteers saying, they hope to work for party unity and allege that the rift between Mr Kejriwal and them started after the Lok Sabha polls elections when the AAP chief suggested trying to form government in Delhi again with the support of the Congress which they opposed.

Dismayed at the top leadership falling apart days after AAP posted a spectacular victory in the Delhi elections, the party's strong cadre of volunteers has requested both sides to bury their differences.