Kejriwal reaches out to estranged Yogendra Yadav, Shazia Ilmi

NEW DELHI: Faced with sharp criticism on the party’s functioning, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday chose to reach out to estranged colleagues Yogendra Yadav and Shazia Ilmi by assuring deeper discussions and a more consultative approach in decision-making.
The party rejected Yadav’s resignation from the political affairs committee and Naveen Jaihind from the national executive.
Ironically, even as Kejriwal said that the PAC, the highest decision-making body in the party, could possibly be expanded some party members rejected a proposal to dissolve it entirely. The second day of the party’s national executive meeting comes at the back of an ugly spat between two members. While Yadav has described the party leadership being driven by a personality cult, his colleague and close Kejriwal aide Manish Sisodia has accused Yadav of opportunism.
READ ALSO: Full text of Manish Sisodia and Yogendra Yadav's letters
After a meeting with Yadav, and senior SC lawyer and colleague Prashant Bhushan Kejriwal tweeted, “Yogendra Yadav has raised some important issues. All of us will work on it. He is a very dear friend and a very valued colleague. Had long discussion with him.’’
The former Delhi CM said, “Resignations will be discussed tomorrow. All things are going smooth and differences are resolved. We are discussing organizational structure. Expansion of PAC could be possible.’’

Speaking after the meeting Yadav said, “I resigned on larger principles and I have had free and frank discussions with my colleagues on all the issues I raised and the way forward. I doubt there would be such discussions within any other party in the country. I feel satisfied by the way the discussions have gone.’’ His colleague Prashant Bhushan also admitted there were different points of view but the party was moving forward to resolve the differences.
Kejriwal also said that efforts will be made to bring back Shazia Ilmi who had quit last month.
While deciding to dissolve and reconstitute all state and district committees in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha elections, the body that was responsible for most of AAP's decision making, including candidate selection, is likely to remain untouched. Despite Yadav’s resignation sources said that the PAC will carry on with business as usual.
Sources said that the party may include guest members to the PAC, possibly women since there is no female representation in the highest decision making body of AAP so far. Criticising the top leadership for failing its volunteers, sources said that this decision was likely to lead to massive unrest in the lower rung of the party.
"Some state units will be happy because they had internal problems but what is the fault of other state units. However, even if one was to welcome the move to shake up the system, the party should have started from the top. Why is that body, which was actually responsible for everything that AAP has done so far, untouched," questioned party members.

The proposal to dissolve the PAC was mooted by Navin Jaihind, who had also tendered his resignation along with Yadav, and received support from PAC members Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. Yadav, whose resignation had not been accepted till then, also reportedly spoke in favour of dissolution of the PAC. The opposition came from Gopal Rai and Ilyas Azmi, who has been openly accusing Kejriwal of treating AAP as his personal party.
The national executive, comprising of 30 members, elects the PAC. Unlike the NE, which cannot be dissolved, the PAC can be re-elected at any point of time, sad sources. "It would have sent a positive message to party workers to see party top brass take responsibility for the election result but AAP seems to be functioning more and more like other political parties," said party members.
The fledgling party had made a stunning debut in the Delhi Assembly polls in December by winning 28 out of 70 seats and even formed a government. But Kejriwal quit as Chief Minister after 49 days on the issue of Janlokpal Bill.
The party fought the Lok Sabha elections in over 420 seats but could win only four in Punjab while drawing a blank in the capital following which Kejriwal and his close associates have come under attack.
The AAP leader has also drawn flak after failed attempt to form government again and his initial refusal to submit a bond in a defamation case filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, which led to his going to jail.