New Delhi:
Top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party are meeting at Arvind Kejriwal's home this evening in the shadow of infighting that has hit the party weeks after it swept the Delhi election. Sources say talks between rival groups are on the verge of collapse.
Here are the top 10 developments:
Members of the party's Political Affairs Committee are to discuss an important meeting on Saturday of the AAP National Council, where the future role of founder members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan may dominate the agenda.
Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan have been openly critical of Mr Kejriwal, who took charge as Delhi's Chief Minister last month. They were recently sacked from the Political Affairs Committee over allegations that they wanted to remove Mr Kejriwal as national convenor and also wanted the party to lose the Delhi election.
Sources say a "last effort" at reconciliation is being made by AAP's internal lokpal Admiral Ramdas, who is set to meet all sides over the next two days.
Several rounds of talks between Mr Kejriwal's supporters, and Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, have reportedly failed to bridge the gap.
Sources close to key negotiators Ajay Jha, Anand Kumar and Sanjay Singh have told NDTV the talks have "virtually collapsed" as the rivals have failed to find middle ground.
The divide has reflected in issues like including volunteers in decision-making and giving more powers to the party's state units, which are on the agenda of Saturday's meeting.
The talks began after Arvind Kejriwal returned last week from Bengaluru, where he spent 10 days healing with yoga and naturopathy for his health problems.
Soon after landing into a far from tranquil atmosphere back home, Mr Kejriwal sent a team of four party leaders to hold talks with Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. But to a text message from Prashant Bhushan seeking a one-on-one meeting to "end the controversy", Mr Kejriwal was non-committal, replying on text, "will meet soon."
Despite attempts at a rapprochement, Mr Kejriwal's loyalists believe that Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan have not given up on their campaign to remove him as party chief.
Sources say a letter by AAP leader DIlip Pandey accusing the two leaders of anti-party activities is likely to be taken up at the weekend meeting.
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