indo-asian news service
New Delhi, May 3: Delhi’s ruling AAP averted a major crisis Wednesday when its disgruntled founder leader Kumar Vishwas agreed not to quit while an MLA who took him on was suspended from the party.
After indicating a day earlier that he may quit the Aam Aadmi Party, Kumar Vishwas on Wednesday attended a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.
“The PAC has decided to suspend Amanatullah Khan from the party,” Deputy Chief Minister and Kumar Vishwas’ childhood friend Manish Sisodia told reporters.
The decision came three days after Khan alleged that Kumar Vishwas was conspiring to break the party and plotting a coup against Kejriwal at the behest of the BJP and RSS.
The AAP also announced a three-member committee of party leaders Pankaj Gupta, Atishi Marlena and Ashutosh to determine why Khan made the allegation against the
poet-politician.
Appearing before the media with Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas said he was happy a dialogue among party members had resumed. “I want to assure all the workers that whenever there is a need to brainstorm and discuss, we will sit together even if we have differences,” he said. “No one should have an impression that it was a power struggle.”
Kumar Vishwas again insisted he had no desire to become the Chief Minister or convener of the party.
After the PAC meeting, Sisodia went to meet Khan, the Okhla MLA. While the party said he went to communicate the PAC’s decision, informed sources said it was meant to placate the suspended legislator. Khan said he was pained by the party’s decision but would not comment on the Kumar Vishwas issue.