Nearing five-year mark, AAP faces rift, this time over Rajya Sabha seats

Ties were strained further last week, after the suspension of Khan, who had called Vishwas an RSS agent, was revoked. Almost immediately, Vishwas lashed out, saying that Khan was a “mask” and that there was a conspiracy within the party to stop his ascent to the Rajya Sabha. But sources within the party claimed that the chances of Vishwas being given a Rajya Sabha ticket are thin, particularly after he threatened to quit the AAP in May in response to Khan’s attack.

“Now, Khan has been brought back, while Vishwas wasn’t even given a chance to speak at the National Council meeting on November 2,” a source said. Meanwhile, the party is preparing to celebrate its five-year anniversary by holding its national convention on November 26. “Policies of the Centre are on the agenda for discussion. The foundation day would be observed with the national convention, with volunteers, office bearers and elected representatives of the AAP congregating in the capital,” AAP leader Gopal Rai said.

A senior party leader said, “Things have changed since May, when AAP was reeling under losses in the Punjab Assembly polls and the Delhi MCD elections. A loss in the latter had really hit volunteer morale. But since then, we have won the Bawana bypolls, and the party is much stronger, so internal friction is not such a major concern for us.”