Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal [File Photo]

Political News

Reconciliation unlikely, as talks between warring AAP camps on the verge of collapse, media reports

By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

March 24, 2015

New Delhi: Less than a week time is left for the Aam Aadmi Party’s India level council meeting, but warring camps of the AAP did not find any ground to reconcile. According to media reports the ongoing negotiations between the two warring camps within Delhi ruling party are on the verge of collapse as neither side is willing to budge on critical issues.

Aam Aadmi Party is currently divided in two camps – one led by Delhi Chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy in government Manish Shisodia; while Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and their

IBNLive quotes party sources saying: If the parleys fail the National Council meeting scheduled for March 28 will see a showdown between the two camps.

It is notable that the talks that began last week with the aim of bridging the trust deficit between the two groups after Yadav and Bhushan were ousted from AAP’s Political Affairs Committee have led to a consensus that the two factions would focus on resolving the issues.

However, the bone of contention is the implementation of critical matters such as volunteer participation in AAP’s decision making, autonomy to its state units, bringing the party under the ambit of RTI and appointment of Lokayukta at the state level.

The two sides are stuck over “theory” and “practicality” of the probable solutions to the contentious issues. However, the sources also indicated that both groups were making last-ditch efforts to salvage the talks.

While the Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan camp has said it has asked the Arvind Kejriwal camp for a detailed report as to how its demands are to be implemented within a time-span of three months, the latter has asked it to give suggestions on how to implement the ideas in a “practical manner”.

The groups have also involved two more leaders – from Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka – to ease out the differences and find a middle path. While the Kejriwal camp is being led by PAC member Sanjay Singh and key Delhi unit leaders Ashutosh and Ashish Khetan, the Yadav and Bhushan camp is being represented by Ajit Jha and Anand Kumar.

The Bhushan and Yadav camp has demanded greater participation for the volunteers. The Kejriwal camp has agreed to the same but the two have been unable to find a common ground as to the extent for the same.

Another critical issue is the extent of the autonomy given to the state units. “One cannot expect the PAC to vet the state units’ decision to contest local body polls,” said a leader from the Yadav camp.

“We have contested three elections (2013 and 2015 Delhi Assembly and 2014 Lok Sabha polls). It is not possible to accede to all their demands according to their wishes as that is not feasible,” IBNLive quotes a leader in the Kejriwal camp.

Sikh Siyasat Talkshow: 

On internal rift of Aam Aadmi Party and ouster of Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan from PAC