A day after his ouster from Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Political Affairs Committee, senior party leader Yogendra Yadav today said that he was not quitting and will continue to work for the party.
Yogendra Yadav said for the past one month he had been working on issues related to farmers and had been undertaking protests against the amendments made in the Land Acquisition Act.
Sources, however, said that although the party has promised that a new role will be given to him, no such issue was discussed in the National Executive meeting yesterday.
“About my future role, I will do whatever the party decides for me. For the past one month or so I have been involved in Jai Kisan Abhiyaan, which is party’s campaign in Haryana on the issues of the Land Acquisition Ordinance, reduction of land acquisition compensation on remunerative prices for farmers, on the urea scarcity.
“I want to get involved intensively and I personally have been wanting time to travel and understand the issues of farmers,” Yogendra Yadav said.
After the National Executive meeting yesterday, party leader Kumar Vishwas had said both Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav will be given new responsibilities.
“The issue was not discussed in the meeting yesterday and so far, there has been no clarity on the role of these two leaders,” said a party leader.
Yogendra Yadav and Bhushan were ousted from the party’s PAC by three votes in the National Executive meeting yesterday. The duo had raised questions over the growing personality cult in the party and emphasised on the need to have ethics and grievances committees.
Yadav said since last three-four days, he has been receiving a lot of emails and messages from party volunteers expressing support as well as sadness over the ongoing crisis.
He added that his quest for internal democracy in AAP has not ended and will continue.
“I have been saying to all of them that our quest for fundamental principles will continue. These fundamental principles are – Swaraj in the country as well as in the organisation, internal democracy, upholding highest standards of integrity and hearing the voices of the volunteers.
“We would continue to raise the issue. Let’s not lose hope. One or two persons being removed from the committee is not the reason for losing hope in the organisation,” the AAP leader said.
When asked whether he was hurt because of the on-going crisis, Yadav said, “If people like me and Prashant…if our departure, can create a situation that makes us more alert to these issues, then the departure may have served its purpose.
“I have been a student of politics, history and economics. There is no way you can assess any situation overnight. Its only in retrospect that you can understand the situation. I do not know if five years down the line will I be sad about the decision or will I see this as an opening of an opportunity,” Yadav said.
Meanwhile, senior party leader Mayank Gandhi has expressed shock in the manner in which Bhushan and Yadav were removed from PAC.
Gandhi, who abstained from voting yesterday in the NE meeting, said he was shocked when deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia introduced a proposal for Yadav and Bhushan’s removal despite the duo voluntarily offering to step down.
