Want to meet Kejriwal and end controversy: Prashant Bhushan

In signs of rapprochement between the two warring camps within Aam Aadmi Party, senior leader Prashant Bhushan on Monday said he wanted to meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to put an end to the row which has seen him and Yogendra Yadav being ousted from the party’s political affairs committee.       

Bhushan said he has sought time with Kejriwal and, if he agrees, can meet him along with Yadav. “I have sent a message to Arvind saying hope he is feeling better after his stay at the Jindal Institute of Naturopathy (in Bengaluru). I have said that I would like to meet him as soon as possible so that we can sit together and try to sort out all these problems that have arisen.

“If he wants, I can meet him with Yogendra ji (Yadav), to sort out the problems to whatever extent possible,” Bhushan said.

Sources close to Yadav said that the message was sent in the morning on behalf of both the leaders.

Bhushan’ statement follows an episode of mudslinging by both camps. Bhushan, along with Yadav, was voted out of the party’s all-powerful PAC on March 4. The ouster of the two leaders had also pushed the party to the edge with disagreements arising among its supporters.

The Kejriwal camp alleged that Bhushan along with his father Shanti Bhushan and Yadav tried to remove Kejriwal from the post of the AAP national convener.

Following the action against Bhushan and Yadav, charges and counter-charges were made by the two sides while party MLAs close to Kejriwal signed a petition demanding expulsion of the duo.

As the controversy erupted, Kejriwal had said, “I am deeply hurt and pained by what is going on in the party. This is a betrayal of trust that Delhi posed in us. I refuse to be drawn in this ugly battle. Will concentrate only on Delhi’s governance.” He has since kept mum on the issue.

Meanwhile, party leaders welcomed Bhushan’s comments on Monday.

“The message of Prashant ji for a meeting with Arvind is a silver lining for all AAP volunteers and well wishers. We can make up for the rupture caused by the National Executive meeting vote of 4th March regarding PAC, which was avoidable as there was another resolution asking for voluntary withdrawal by all to make way for reconstitution of PAC.

“I am waiting for the good news of meeting of hearts and minds of the healthy and happy Kejriwal. It is time to show statesmanship and disappoint all those who are waiting for the further disintegration of the party,” AAP leader Anand Kumar said.

Yadav had last week come out in defence of Kejriwal against allegations of horse-trading. Responding to claims against the AAP chief, Yadav had said that “innocuous conversations” were being presented as stings to “discredit” the party.