'Deeply hurt' Kejriwal to give key AAP's national executive a miss

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday broke his silence over the ongoing power struggle within the party by tweeting: "I am deeply hurt and pained by what is going on in the party. This is betrayal of trust that Delhi posed in us. I refuse to be drawn in this ugly battle. Will concentrate only on Delhi's governance (sic)."

Kejriwal is slated to go on a 10-day leave to Bengaluru from Friday for a Naturopathy treatment. Incidentally, Kejriwal will not be attending the crucial national executive meeting on Wednesday where it will decide the fate of two senior leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. Bhushan has already stated that he would not make it to the meeting.

The factionalism within the AAP came in the open after leaders belonging to both the camps airing their differences through social media.

Ashish Khetan, former journalist, taking a dig at the Bhushans, tweeted: "Those who are floating the ridiculous one-man party theory wanted to make AAP one family party." In another tweet, he said, "Father-son-daughter trio of Shanti Prashant & Shalini wanted to have a vice-like grip on all party wings, from PAC to policy committee to National Executive (sic)."

Former television journalist Ashustosh, another Kejriwal loyalist hit out the "detractors" for making public their grievances in the media and not within the party forum.

In the midst of this ugly mudslinging, senior Shanti Bhushan attempted to sound a conciliatory note urging that Kejriwal should continue as the convenor of the National Executive and Prshant and Yadav should offer him unflinching support.

Sources disclose that Kejriwal supporters were keen to oust Bhushan and Yadav from the Political affairs committee, accusing them of working against the party.

The NE meeting is slated to discuss the four letters with allegations and counter allegations from the internal Lok pal Admiral Ramdas, Bhushan, another joint letter by Bhushan and yadav and a fourth by Dilip Pandey.

The meeting tomorrow is sure to see some fireworks with both sides gearing up for a showdown.