Focus: The Great AAP Soap Opera: From Comrades To Foes

The Aam Aadmi Party’s bitter internal feud has played out like a daily soap. High drama, explosive stings, allegations of violence, cuss words, backroom intrigue - it’s all out there for public consumption.

The latest episode - the dramatic exit of founder members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the national executive. Yadav called it a “murder of democracy” and Bhushan alleged ‘goondagardi’ by Kejriwal supporters.

But this is not the first. AAP’s ‘filmy’ history is full of tales of friends who gradually turned foes.
Here is a timeline of the saga:

Jan 15, 2014: Infighting begins in AAP as MLA Binny accuses Arvind Kejriwal of lying, and Captain Gopinath terms the scrapping of retail in FDI a ‘cheap, populist move.’

June 2014: Rifts widen in AAP as Manish Sisodi blames Yogendra Yadav for Lok Sabha poll debacle. Yadav blamed for the decision to contest 400 Lok Sabha seats. AAP won only four seats, all in Punjab. None in their stronghold, Delhi.

Jan 24-25, 2015: Prashant Bhushan accuses Kejriwal of using unethical means to win elections. AAP plays down Prashant Bhushan’s remark, denies rifts in the party. In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, Shanti Bhushan controversially states that former IAC colleague, Kiran Bedi, now the face of the BJP’s campaign, was a better Chief Minister candidate than Kejriwal.

Feb 7, 2015: The direct contest between two former Anna Hazare acolytes, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal for the Delhi Assembly, turns out to be a damp squib. Kiran Bedi fails to win her seat, as AAP sweeps Delhi clean with a 67/70 seat win. Kejriwal’s stock soars after the win.

Mar 4, 2015: AAP sacks Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from its Political Action Committee. Kejriwal in Stalinist mode, calls the shots from a ‘naturopathy dacha’ near Bengaluru. His hatchet men, Sanjay Singh and former journalists, Ashutosh and Ashish Khetan attack the duo across media. The key accusation - that Bhushan and Yadav conspired for AAP to lose the Delhi elections. 

Mar 11 & 12, 2015: Audio tapes of Kejriwal surfaces alleging he tried to poach Congress MLAs; Anjali Damania quits. Top leader Mayank Gandhi also speaks out on the breakdown of ‘inner party democracy’. AAP’s internal ‘Lokpal’, former Admiral Ramdas also questions the lack of transparency.

Mar 26, 2015: AAP calls for PAC meet. Yadav and Bhushan are targeted yet again. They are accused of wanting to remove Kejriwal as AAP chief. The stage is set for the climax.

Mar 28, 2015: A sting operation conducted by an AAP member reveals audio of Arvind Kejrival using foul language while talking about Bhushan and Yadav. Later the same day, the two are removed from AAP’s National Executive; Yadav’s supporters Prof Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha also sacked. Before the day ends, another AAP pillar, social activist Medha Patkar, also resigns, disgusted that AAP has become a ‘Tamasha’.

From upright government servant, to passionate social activist, to untiring agitator, to novice idealistic politician, to hard-ball playing party dictator - the Mufflerman’s own political journey is the key to understanding AAP’s saga.