Former AAP spokesperson Atishi Marlena has criticised Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi Marlena, who was sacked as party spokesperson recently, hit out at her former mentors Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan today in a letter that seeded another round of public sparring.
"Regrettably, this letter will mark a change in our political engagement. It is being written to express strong disagreement with two people whom I held in extremely high regard," Ms Marlena wrote in a letter addressed to AAP's rebel leaders, a group she has always been seen as close to.
"I will continue to hold both of you in the highest regard but I do not believe that our paths can be common anymore. I do hope that they do not diverge to a degree that we may have to stand confronting each other," she said.
Ms Marlena's sacking was linked to her closeness to the Yadav-Bhushan camp, which has been ranged against party chief Arvind Kejriwal for weeks. It was Mr Yadav who had brought Ms Marlena, a social activist, into the party.
With today's letter, she effectively ended any speculation on which side she has picked.
The 32-year-old AAP leader accused Mr Bhushan of backing out of talks and ruling out any reconciliation with Arvind Kejriwal under pressure from his father.
"...I was appalled Prashantji, because you refused to accept these terms since Shanti Bhushanji said no. The same Prashant Bhushan, who can take on the strongest forces in this country, didn't agree to something in the larger interest of the party because his father said no," she said.
Mr Bhushan rubbished the allegations.
"It is not correct to say that negotiations broke down because of my father Shanti Bhushan. The talks failed as there was trust deficit," he said, reacting to Ms Marlena's letter.
Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan, who have challenged what they call Mr Kejriwal's dictatorial leadership, were all but expelled from the party last month. They have called a meeting of their supporters on April 14 amid a strong buzz that a new party could be on the cards.