Rift deepens within AAP, truce talks with Yogendra, Prashant fail

While the reconciliation meeting between the two warring factions failed, internal blame game continued till late Thursday night.

Party leader Kumar Vishwas on Friday said Yadav and Bhushan "should gracefully leave" and let others work when no reconciliation is possible.

"Kejriwal was ready to give up post of National Convenor for Yadav and Bhushan. He said we have fought against many people but I can't fight against Yadav and Bhushan," added senior leader Ashutosh.

While Yogendra Yadav on Thursday said he and Prashant Bhushan never demanded Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's removal from the party's national convenor post, AAP accused them of working till now to dislodge party chief.

"Ridiculous claim that we insisted on AK's removal. This wasn't mentioned in our note, never came up for discussion. Can they give any proof?," Yadav wrote on twitter.

"More info about fake campaign coming in. If anyone calls you on my behalf & solicits support for me against AK, please note the no & report," he said.

At a press conference held late at night, Bhushan said he never asked for Kejriwal's resignation.

"Total lies. Shocked and disappointed with seniors members of the PAC," he  said.

At a counter-press conference held by the party minutes later, senior leader Sanjay Singh said, "Talks were ended in such a manner that it shows that their ego was more important than the condition of the party."

Earlier on Thursday evening, Manish Sisodia tweeted: "Talks with PB and YY failed. They insisting on removing AK from National Conv post. NC to decide on 28July weather to remove AK or not!"

He said they accepted all their demands.

"Despite accepting all their demands they are insisting to remove AK. In public they say AK is the leader, in pvt they insist on his removal," Sisodia posted.

"No effort to remove Arvind Kejriwal is accepted to me. Let the NC decide on 28 March now," he added.

Yadav on Thursday also ridiculed reports that he and Bhushan resigned from the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

"I hear funny news about the PAC accepting our resignation. Will my colleagues please produce a copy of the resignation letter?," he wrote.

"What is being passed off as "resignation letter" is a note for internal negotiations. We said we will resign if 5 conditions were met," said he.

The AAP leader also said the other faction of the party is spreading a lie about his demand to head Haryana.

"Another lie that I asked for Haryana. Actually they repeatedly offered Haryana. We refused to even discuss it," said he.

Meanwhile, Prashant Bhushan also told CNN-IBN channel that they never wanted Kejriwal's removal as the party's national convener.

He went to the extent of saying that Kejriwal wants people who toe the line. He said Kejriwal doesn't want members having independent opinion and thus, want their removal.

Both leaders refuted that their demands of internal reforms were met during the negotiation meetings.

As efforts of reconciliation failed, reports suggested that while Arvind Kejriwal is insisting on Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan quitting the National Executive, the other faction, according to the CM loyalist, want to seek a regime change in the party.

This comes ahead of the National Council meet scheduled on Mar 28.

The National Council meeting is expected to focus primarily on the future role of  Yadav and Bhushan.

Amid turmoil within the AAP, the national executive of the same on Mar 4 decided to remove its founding members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the party's PAC.

The AAP had registered a landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly polls to form the government in the national capital.