NEW DELHI: In a clear indication of the widening rift within the Aam Aadmi Party one of its tallest leaders and founding members Kumar Vishwas on Tuesday openly challenged the party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s gag order.
After being alleged by party MLA Amanatullah Khan of attempting a coup, Vishwas outside his residence said that a conspiracy is being hatched against him within the party and that there is an attempt to malign his image from other leaders.
“In this very house me, Arvind and Manish saw the future for a political organistion fighting against corruption. Recently an MLA from the party (Khan) called me an agent of BJP. If he would have said anything like this about Arvind and Manish he would have been shown the door within 10 minutes. But he is just a face” said Vishwas.
The party has come face to face with a similar situation two year ago when Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from the party for anti-party activities.
After the debacle at six elections recently Punjab and Delhi a teary eyed Vishwas said that “I am not here for any political posts I never was. But I will not apologise for my We the Nation video. I will take a decision tonight” hinting at a decision of quitting the party.
Vishwas who is in-charge of funding from abroad earlier pointed out at the “termite” eating the roots of the anti- corruption movement said that the ground level party workers are de-motivated by the ticket distribution and the closed door decisions taken by the leadership of the party.
"Five years ago, we didn't sign up for this today, we have disappointed a major section of our grassroots workers. There are many who left their jobs to volunteer for us," Vishwas added.
Since the last two days ministers of AAP government like Kapil Mishra, Manish Sisodia and leader Sanjay Singh went and met him Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also reportedly talked to Vishwas for three hours over the phone in order to pacify him, but to no avail.
Countering his claims Deputy chief minister Mansih Sisodia later said that Vishwas should come to the PAC meeting of the party and raise his voice and not outside.
“Nobody has asked Kumar to apologise, AAP is not just of Arvind, me and Kumar’s but it is of scores of our workers. He is making this a personal fight which is not needed” said Sisodia.