The month-long face-off in AAP climaxed today with the expulsion of dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from its National Executive, in a possible precursor for their final ouster from the party.
Amid chaos and high drama, a resolution to remove the two dissidents from the powerful panel was passed immediately after party Chief Arvind Kejriwal left the National Council following his hour-long speech in which he asked over 300 members present to choose him or the duo. The resolution was introduced by Kejriwal loyalist Manish Sisodia.
The resolution for expulsion of Yadav and Bhushan along with their supporters Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha was passed by 247 members, AAP National Secretary Pankaj Gupta said, adding while 10 members opposed it, 54 others did not take part in the voting.
Immediately after their removal, Bhushan and Yadav termed the NC meet as "unconstitutional and illegal" and did not rule out taking legal recourse against their removal.
Reacting to the NC decision, AAP's well-known leader Medha Patkar addressed a press conference in Mumbai where she announced her resignation from the party, saying Yadav and Bhushan could never work against the party.
Yadav and Bhushan said AAP's Lokpal Admiral L Ramdas (retd), who has been attending party's NC meets, was asked by the AAP leadership last evening not to attend the meeting as his presence could result in "confrontation".
Accusing Kejriwal of being dictatorial and using unfair means, the duo alleged that his people got goons to the NC meeting who beat up members opposed to the resolution.
"It was a murder of democracy. Everything played out in accordance with a predetermined script and the resolution was moved and passed within minutes completely disregarding laid down procedures. It was a total farce," said an agitated Yadav.
Bhushan said, "It is true that we can move the court, Election Commission or call another meeting of the NC. All options are open.
