A day after removing founder members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from its national executive, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made further changes on Sunday, strengthening the grip of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the organisation.
The AAP reconstituted its Lokpal panel and the disciplinary committee, and created a body to strengthen its control over the State units.
Lokpal Admiral (Retd.) L. Ramdas said in a letter that the party told him it “no longer required” his services following the announcement of a three-member Lokpal panel.
The party’s national secretary, Pankaj Gupta, announced the reconstitution of the disciplinary committee that was headed by Mr. Bhushan. It would now have Dinesh Waghela at the helm, besides Mr. Gupta and Ashish Khetan, vice-chairman of the the Delhi Dialogue Commission, a pet project of the Delhi government.
Mr. Bhushan likened the move to a “Stalinist purge,” but the faction loyal to Mr. Kejriwal said the changes were “routine and in order.”
The three-member Lokpal panel members are N. Dilip Kumar, a former IPS officer; Rakesh Sinha, former DIG of the Central Industrial Security Force; and educationist S.P. Verma.
Indicating the possibility of taking the party to court over the removal of Lokpal Admiral (Retd) L. Ramdas, Mr. Yadav said the National Executive had no authority to appoint a Lokpal as its constitution empowered only the incumbent to choose a successor.
Senior leader Sanjay Singh was given charge of a committee to ascertain the organisational status of the party in the States.
Party’s founder members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav are voted out of its political affairs committee.
Senior party leader Mayank Gandhi protests ouster of Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan.
Yadav asks AAP workers to put an end to infighting.
Senior AAP leader from Mumbai Anjali Damania resigns from the party after allegations of “horse trading” surface against Mr. Kejriwal.
Senior leaders from the Kejriwal camp meet Mr. Yadav and hold discussions.
AAP ‘unity’ talks fail