Live: Haven't received Medha Patkar's resignation letter, says AAP

Meanwhile, social activist Anna Hazare has refused to comment on the on-going crisis, saying it’s an internal party issue which should be dealt with by themselves.

This is AAP's internal matter, why would I get into it? It's beyond my understanding: Anna Hazare pic.twitter.com/MJpmGuCY0Y

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2015

Medha Patkar quits AAP, says what happened today was unfortunate

Renowned social activist Medha Patkar quit the Aam Aadmi Party today following what she termed was an ‘unfortunate’ meeting of the national council. “I have always maintained that AAP’s processes were not proper. We condemn today’s incident, it was unfortunate. Many state units want me to take a tough stand.”

“I never accepted any position of the party but as senior member and an activist the disappointment is there,” she said. “Bhushan, Yadav never worked against the party.”

Kejriwal has to curb dictatorial tendencies, says Bhushan

When asked if he thought Kejriwal was now a dictator, Bhushan said he always felt that Kejriwal had dictatorial tendencies and needed to curb them. “What happened today shows that he is willing to ruthlessly use his dictatorial means to stifle any dissent in the party.”

Not even basic protocol at the meeting, says Yadav

At the meeting, Kejriwal said I’m leaving you decide if you want me in the party or them. There were professional bouncers in the meeting today. Usually it is our own volunteers who are stationed. We didn’t recognise any of them. They hit Ramdas Chauhan. 

I went and told Kejriwal and Sisodia how can you do this at a NC meeting. How can you hit someone at a NC meeting? He just stood there like a statue. Kejriwal just went away and said I have an important meeting to attend to and Gopal Rai would continue. 

There was no agenda announced, Rai just began reading out a resolution. There was apparently no need to second the resolution. I then said there has to be a discussion on this but Gopal Rai stood there saying nothing. I told him look at me, I’m talking to you. We need a discussion, he just said whatever you want to say write and give it to me. In the background there were people shouting ‘who all are in favour, who aren’t’.

There was no check of who were voting, invited people or members of NC. They just went by show of hands without checking if they were voting or non voting members. They didn’t allow secret voting as well. We then said we are leaving. But they stopped people from leaving the venue. 

As soon as we reached the gate there were orders to shout slogans outside. Soon people gathered outside and chanted slogans against myself and Prashant.

I feel embarrassed to say this about my own party. It’s a shame that a party set-up on swaraj is doing this. The tireless efforts of so many volunteers has gone into the building of this party.

New low in Indian politics, says Yogendra Yadav

What happened today is a new low for politics in India. This started off as a campaign for a Lokpal in this country but our party’s own lokpal was not allowed to attend the meeting as an independent witness.

Today I was welcomed by “Yogendra Yadav murdabad” slogans when I reached the venue for the meeting. There were several NC members who had valid invitation cards but were denied entry to the meeting. I protested outside, but I later went in.

AAP chief Kejriwal spoke for about an hour. I won’t go into what he said. He didn’t talk about the nation or about the party’s future but all he spoke about was Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. Allegations about what we did. One after the other he listed all the allegations. He even named Shanti Bhushan. As soon as he started talking about this, members from the back started shouting slogans against ’traitors’ and they charged towards Shanti Bhushan. This drama went on for about 5 minutes.

Recent developments in #AAP. My #cartoon pic.twitter.com/WmksHZiwct

— MANJUL (@MANJULtoons) March 26, 2015

AAP rejects allegations, says eight voted in favour of Yadav-Bhushan

Speaking at a press conference after the National Council meeting, Sanjay Singh said there were no bouncers at the meeting and the vote was through show of hands. “Kumar Vishwas urged them to sit down and listen to the resolution. They didn’t listen. They just stormed out of the meeting. 

The allegations of violence are false. There was no violence. Ramzan bhai himself stood up during the meeting and started shouting during Kejriwal’s speech. We asked him to sit down and wait till Kejriwal finishes his speech.

I also stood up and said the meeting should go on smoothly, I even said we will leave if the meeting is conducted smoothly.

There was a vote through show of hands, eight opposed the resolution. 54 people abstained from voting, 280 voted in favour of the resolution.”

Ashutosh rejects allegations, say party stands by Kejriwal

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Ashutosh defended his party saying there was no violence and a majority of the party stands by its chief Arvind Kejriwal.

When asked why a secret vote was not allowed, Ashutosh said, “everybody should know who votes for whom. If you believe in democracy and transparency everyone should know who votes for whom. Why the secrecy? Why should people be scared? If they wanted to go with Kejriwal, they should.”

On Kejriwal not making a statement before the media, Ashutosh said: “If Kejriwal is not speaking to the media, it doesn’t mean he isn’t speaking at all. He spoke for 30 minutes (at the NC), he opened his mind. If he speaks outside the National Council people will say he’s not respecting the party. He will speak at the right forum.”

“These few gentlemen decided to defeat their own party. National Council meeting was a peaceful one. There was video recording, anyone who wants to see the footage is welcome to see it. Prashant and Yogendra are two respected people in the country, I urge them to please not destroy the party,” Ashutosh said.

“AAP is a democratic party, if there are differences in the party they should be sorted out at the highest level,” he added. 

When asked what his response was to Bhushan calling Kejriwal a dictator, Ashutosh said: “If Bhushan feels Kejriwal is a dictator it is his view point. Not everyone has to stand by it. Today the party has given its vote and 2/3rds are standing with him.”

Ashutosh has rushed to Twitter to defend his party against the allegations of violence made by both Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. 

YY/PB should not create drama or farce outside NC.They have been expelled because they wanted party to loose and wanted party to break.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

If YY/PB/ANAND/Ajit have faith in democracy/have democratic bone,they should respect the verdict of the supreme decision making body of AAP.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

Media should not buy a cooked up story of man handling and presence of bouncers. YY/PB Is spreading lies.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

YY/PB Should respect the Verdict of the highest decision making body of the party if they believe in internal democracy .

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

Only a dozen members opposed proposal to expel them from NE and a few walked out of YY and PB. Overwhelming support to expel them fm NE.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

YY is spreading lies that NC members were beaten up in meeting.There was no scuffle or manhandling.It's a cooked up story to gain sympathy.

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 28, 2015

Kejriwal’s camp react, ask media not to buy ‘cooked up’ stories

AAP spokesperson Ashutosh speaking to Times NOW urged the media not to believe stories of manhandling and bouncers ‘cooked-up’ by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. Another party spokesperson Ashish Khetan said the prerogative of who should attend the National Council meeting was the party leaderships.

Kejriwal camp to file complaint against Bhushan-Yadav

It appears the Kejriwal camp are all set to throw the Bhushan-Yadav duo out of the party. The national council is set to lodge a complaint with the party’s internal Disciplinary Committee against Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav for ‘anti-party activities’ and if found guilty they (Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav) they will be expelled from AAP.

Goodbye ideology
Hello personality#AAPBreakUp

— Gautam Chikermane 🇮🇳 (@gchikermane) March 28, 2015

Yogendra Yadav is alleging that they were not given any chance to be heard. “Gopal Rai was chairing the meet. Although we said we had objections, and though other people said they disagreed, and even when we asked to defend ourselves, he just looked blank”, Yadav said. “We also asked for secret ballot, but he continued to look blank. 

Yadav also reiterated that the AAP MLAs had been acting like goondas beating up dissenting members.

He added that Kejriwal had attacked both him and Bhushan throughout his speech as members cheered and heckled. “This is not the party we promised”, a visibly upset Yadav said, adding that he wanted to apologise to the people of the country.

AAP’s Parliamentary leader Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, who was inside the hall, has called the entire excercise a mockery and a sham, and has come outside with the Yadav-Bhushan duo.

Adding to reports of an authoritarian style meeting, Mayank Gandhi has also called the entire meet a ‘murder of democracy’. 

“Our MLAs were behaving like hooligans there, were beating up people”, Bhushan added.

Even volunteers have been alleging that they were beaten up at the meeting. 

#AAPBreakUp: I was only asking for a debate in the NE meet, and bouncers beat me, I have fractures as well, says AAP member Ramzan Choudhary

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) March 28, 2015

The resolution to oust both Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from the AAP National Executive has been passed. 

Professor Anand Kumar and Ajit Kumar have also been expelled. "

“This whole meeting was scripted by Kejriwal supporter”, Yadav said outside the meeting. He also alleged that people protesting Kejriwal had been ‘kicked by bouncers’;

Outside the venue, police are havikng to protect both Yadav and Bhushan from angry supporters of Kejriwal.

“No neutral observer was allowed to attend the meeting, they shouted slogans, this was all pre-planned”, added Bhushan.

AAP National Council: Scuffle breaks out between Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan group and Arvind Kejriwal group

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2015

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has left the venue of the meeting after addressing the gathering.

Soon after Kejriwal’s address to the AAP’s NC meet, a resolution undersigned by 200 members was moved in the meet to oust the Bhishan-Yadav duo from the National Executive. 

Out of the total 354 members, 300 are taking part in the vote. All the demands put forth by the dissenting leaders have been rejected. Since the Kejriwal faction has got the support of the majority of the NC members, the demand for voting won’t work in favour of Bhushan and Yadav.

AAP National Council meet to be videographed

Agreeing to one of the demands of ‘party rebels’ Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, the party’s National Council meeting currently underway in New Delhi will be videographed. 

Kejriwal is likely to address the gathering for an hour and then leave. He will not wait for the vote, where Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan are likely to be axed from the party.

Yogendra Yadav’s ‘dharna’ seems to have worked! He has now entered the venue of the National Council meet. 

Some have been allowed now, I'm going inside,will try for others to be allowed or register my protest: Yogendra Yadav pic.twitter.com/HE1ICaMVMF

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2015

His "Dharna' works..Yogendra yadav goes inside : says will raise issue in the NC meeting #AAPSplit

— Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha (@Mrityunjoykjha) March 28, 2015

More scenes from the meeting:

Ashish Khetan makes his way through agitated volunteers to the PAC meeting @httweets https://t.co/F0rjkWuvQI

— Mohit Sharma (@iMohit_Sharma) March 28, 2015

The AAP meet has reportedly begun. Kejriwal is scheduled to address whichever members were allowed inside. There has already been massive controversy over the fact that not all the NC members have been allowed into the venue. 

In fact as reported by Firstpost earlier, A few out-station NC members said that they had received text message about the venue of the meeting. “It says that we have to show the SMS as a gate-pass to ensure our entry into the venue,” a member said. Surprisingly, all the members haven’t received such messages.

The irony of this is a bit hard to escape. A dharna against the king of dharnas? 

Delhi: Yogendra Yadav sits on dharna outside venue with AAP NC members who were denied entry to the meeting pic.twitter.com/VBRjx4EsJr

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2015

The latest news coming in is that Kejriwal will not vote at the meet. However he is expected to address the meeting. He has just arrived at the venue, but did not make a statement to the media.

This is in keeping with his largely silent avatar throughout the AAP implosion.

The only time we have actually heard his voice is via the explosive ‘sting tape’ that was released to the media yesterday, where his opinion on both Yadav and Bhushan was conveyed in no uncertain terms.

AAP’s Yogendra Yadav has put up a picture of the letter he received from AAP’s Lokpal, saying that he had been asked not to attend the National Council meet, and expressing his ‘disappointment’. 

“I made this visit to Delhi from my village in Maharashtra, especially in order to  attend this meeting – as indeed I had done in 2014. However I was told not to  attend the NC meeting, via an SMS from the Party General Secretary just a  few hours ago”, he said.  

Here is the letter from Yadav’s Facebook page:

Yogendra Yadav has confirmed that AAP Lokpal Admiral (retired) Laxminarayan Ramdas has been asked not to attend the meeting, saying that Ramdas had written to Yadav to inform him of the same. 

Earlier sources within the party had also told Firstpost that AAP National Secretary Pankaj Gupta had written to Ramdas and told him not to attend. A visibly furious Yogendra Yadav, who was also jeered at the venue by Kejriwal supporters slammed the decision, asking why Gupta was not allowed to attend the meet.

“I will stand here until every member of the party is allowed in”, Yadav said. 

AAP has maintained secrecy on the venue of the NC meeting as well as the list of members who will be attending.

“I’ve received information that the meeting is on March 28 from 10 am, but there is no mention about the venue till date,” said Sharad Kumre, an NC member. Said Bhushan, “I had asked the party’s national secretary Pankaj Gupta to make the list of NC members known to all, but it was never complied with.”

A few out-station NC members said that they had received text message about the venue of the meeting. “It says that we have to show the SMS as a gate-pass to ensure our entry into the venue,” a member said. Surprisingly, all the members haven’t received such messages.

Protests against Yadav as he arrives for NC meet: A sign of what’s to come for him?

Protest by AAP supporters against Yogendra Yadav as he arrives at venue for AAP's NC meeting in Delhi pic.twitter.com/OycBi6ey4P

— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2015

Senior AAP leaders have reportedly met at Arvind Kejriwal’s home, to discuss strategy ahead of the National Council meet, which is likely to turn acrimonious, as two warring factions of the party come head to head.

Team Arvind Kejriwal is learnt to have asked all 67 MLAs of the party to reach the venue in North West Delhi with their supporters, reports Firstpost’s Tarique Anwar. Their task is simple: to stage a vociferous protest against the Prashant Bhushan-Yogendra Yadav faction.

Each legislator, sources say, have been asked to bring at least five bus loads of people. “Each MLA has been asked to reach the venue with 150-200 supporters.

Given the differences and level of anger in the two warring camps, the meet will be crucial. By calling MLAs and their volunteers, the Kejriwal faction will display its strength and try to press NC members to vote in its favour. The situation may turn ugly if a majority of the 350-member NC goes in favour of Bhushan-Yadav duo,” a party insider told Firstpost.

Meanwhile over 50 members of the Aam Aadmi Party’s National Council held a day-long meeting and passed an eight-point resolution a day before the crucial NC meet.

The participants also pledged to ensure an “open debate” in the party’s apex body’s meeting on the issues raised by them. They demanded that the party’s internal Lokpal Admiral (retd) L Ramdas be given the responsibility to preside over the 27 March NC meet. Ramdas was reportedly asked not to attend the meet today, which is being held in a super secret location.