Indicating that not all is well in the party, Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav resigned from its political affairs committee and its Haryana convener, Navin Jaihind, from the national executive on Saturday.
Both took responsibility for the dismal performance of the party in Haryana, but what triggered the resignations was a “show-cause” notice issued by the committee to Mr. Jaihind when party convener Arvind Kejriwal was in jail recently. Mr. Jaihind was asked to explain how he had convened a meeting of party volunteers in Haryana without Mr. Yadav’s knowledge.
Matters came to such a pass that both resigned. The resignations will be placed before the party’s national council meeting on June 6.
Mr. Yadav was defeated in Gurgaon and Mr. Jaihind in Rohtak in the election, both in Haryana. The party drew a blank in all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the State.
Party spokesman and Delhi unit secretary Dilip Pandey was quick to clarify that the duo had offered to resign for the betterment of the party and the nation.
Mr. Yadav tweeted that rumours about his quitting the AAP were baseless. “I am very much with the party and committed to working for it harder than ever,” he said. Mr. Kejriwal re-tweeted this tweet.
Mr. Yadav had written to Mr. Kejriwal in which he emphasised that the political affairs committee should be reconstituted and he was making a beginning by resigning.
Before Mr. Yadav, former party member Shazia Ilmi and others had demanded the reconstitution of the committee, which is the apex body of the party. The committee has the final say in the selection of candidates for elections. The panel is now reviewing the functioning of each State unit.
