Fifty-six of the AAP’s 67 MLAs wrote to Arvind Kejriwal today, urging him to initiate strict disciplinary action against Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan. However, at least two MLAs, Pankaj Pushkar and Devendra Sehrawat, distanced themselves from the demand. In what was largely a reiteration of Tuesday’s letter by Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai and Pankaj Gupta, the MLAs wrote, “At a time when volunteers from across the country had put their entire strength in Delhi elections, these leaders were working on ensuring the party’s defeat. We request you to take the strictest possible action against these leaders. If this does not happen, then there will be no meaning of discipline left in the party and the party will get destroyed.” AAP sources said a meeting of MLAs with the Delhi unit had taken place Monday where the legislators were urged to sign such a letter. “The day before yesterday, the MLAs were called, shown a printed letter and asked to sign on a blank sheet,” the source said. (Read: AAP slams Yadav, Bhushan on record, sets up their exit from top panel) Sehrawat affirmed he was not a signatory. “I support everything that the party decides. My desire is that all senior leaders of the party should stay together,” he said. Opposing the demand for removal of Bhushan and Yadav, he said, “It is against the principle of natural justice. I don’t know if they are guilty but a person cannot be punished twice for the same act. They have been removed from the PAC.” Pushkar, who didn’t sign either, said, “I have decide to refrain from making any comments. As it is, a lot of things are being said.” MLA Kapil Mishra said, “We were fighting two battles in the polls. One was outside, the other inside where threats were being made to hold a press conference and destroy the party and some were praising Kiran Bedi. So, we decided to write to Arvind.” We will not tolerate anyone trying to break our agenda no matter who it is: Kapil Mishra (AAP MLA from Karwal Nagar) pic.twitter.com/7W2H9ZBhhS — ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2015 We want Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan to be expelled from the party: Kapil Mishra (AAP MLA from Karwal Nagar) — ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2015 Everyone is signing the letter on their own accord, no one refused until now: Kapil Mishra (AAP MLA from Karwal Nagar) — ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2015 The letter said some leaders were conspiring to ensure the party’s defeat in Delhi. They spoke about Bhushan’s attempts to stop volunteers from campaigning and donating. “Prashant ji told Ashish Khetan that he does not want the party to win more than 22 seats. He said similar things to other leaders.” About Yadav, the MLAs alleged he tried to malign the party’s and Kejriwal’s image when he spoke to journalists from Punjab. On the rebel group AVAM, the MLAs alleged the BJP’s role in its creation. “The shocking bit was that AVAM had the support of Prashant, Shanti ji and Yogendra,” it read. SINCE THEY TOOK DELHI February 26: National executive meeting. Arvind Kejriwal offers to resign as national convener to concentrate on Delhi. AAP Lokpal Admiral Ramdas’s letter about inner conflict comes up. Yogendra Yadav accused of planting anti-Kejriwal reports in media. The next day, Ramdas’s letter is leaked. March 1: Leak of Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav’s February 26 letter to NE. Another note by Bhushan surfaces, talks of attempts by party to seek Congress support after last assembly dissolved. PAC member Sanjay Singh tweets to ask if “the people who want to remove Arvind Kejriwal” know “what the worker is feeling?” March 2: Telephonic conversation between Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar and journalist Chander Suta Dogra, recorded without her knowledge, goes public. The conversation relates to an article that Kumar claims had factual errors, Dogra says Yadav had given this information during a breakfast meeting. Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh allege attempts to remove Kejriwal as the national convener. March 3: Kejriwal tweets he is “deeply hurt and pained by what is going on in the party”, maintains that he will not be drawn into it. Ashish Khetan attacks Bhushan family, claims the “father-son-daughter trio wanted to have a vice-like grip on party, from PAC to policy committee to NE.” Bhushan stresses ethical principles, claims Arvind at times said compromises needed in politics. March 4: NE meeting votes Prashant Bhushan and Yadav out of the PAC. . Khetan deletes his earlier Tweets, says he has a lot of respect for Prashant Bhushan. March 5: In a blog post to volunteers, Mayank Gandhi claims Kejriwal insisted on the ouster of the two leaders. Khetan attacks Mayank, says that some people will write blogs while others will write history. March 7: Mayank blogs he might be forced to quit the party due to attacks from Khetan and a small group of decision makers in Delhi. Anjali Damania slams Mayank. March 8: Bhagwant Mann and Ashutosh come out in support of Kejriwal and attack Yadav and Bhushan. March 10: Sanjay Singh, Manish Sisodia, Pankaj Gupta and Gopal Rai write an open letter slamming Bhushan and Yadav.
