Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Okhla Amanatullah Khan’s suspension was revoked on Sunday, almost five months after he was suspended from the party’s primary membership for making allegations against founding member Kumar Vishwas.
The decision of a three-member disciplinary committee was revealed before the political affairs committee (PAC) of the party. The committee reportedly stated that no evidence could be found in the allegations made by Mr. Vishwas that Mr. Khan was part of a greater conspiracy to malign his image.
Reacting to the panel’s decision, Mr. Vishwas said that it was surprising that a revelation made at the PAC meeting had been leaked and he was being made to “react” to it.
“I have said in the past as well that Amanat [Amanatullah] is a pawn and there are greater forces at play here. The AAP might be turning into the Congress and the BJP that play the game of acting and then reacting to things, I am not the one to play by those rules,” Mr. Vishwas said.
He added that he doesn’t know on what basis the disciplinary committee revoked Mr. Khan’s suspension.
“For me to be a part of this party still goes back to the place from where it was started, the grassroots,” said Mr. Vishwas.
The panel’s decision comes three days before the AAP’s National Council meeting on Thursday, which has raised suspicion among a certain faction of the party.
Sources in the party, however, said there was no favouritism towards Mr. Khan and the suspension was revoked as no merit was found in the claims made by Mr. Vishwas.
“My only question is that if the panel has given a clean chit to him [Mr. Khan], does that mean they agree with the allegations he levelled against me? Do they say that I am a BJP agent as I was alleged to be,” Mr. Vishwas asked.
Meanwhile, Mr. Khan welcomed the decision and said that he was confident that the decision would come in his favour because he had not said or done anything wrong.
I’ll come in handy: Khan
“I welcome the decision and thank the committee. My participation might come in handy in the campaigns for elections in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and I will do all I can for the party,” said Mr. Khan.
Though he was suspended, Mr. Khan was seen at several events with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior leaders.
Mr. Khan was also made to resign from the PAC, but no decision has been made to reinstate him.
