Days after the high voltage drama, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today suspended its Okhla MLA Amantullah Khan for making derogatory comments against senior party leader Kumar Vishwas.
The decision was taken during an emergency meet of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) convened by CM Arvind Kejriwal at his residence to discuss the crisis.
“The PAC had taken strong note of Amantullah’s remarks against Vishwas. The PAC had in past expressed its displeasure and he (Khan) he had resigned from the PAC. The PAC has decided to suspend him from the party. A committee has been appointed headed by Pankaj Gupta. Ashutosh and Atishi Marlena are other members of the panel. They will determine why Khan made the allegation against Kumar," senior party leader and deputy CM Manish Sisodia told reporters here.
Sisodia also informed that the PAC has appointed Vishwas as in-charge of its Rajasthan unit where elections are due to be held late next year.
The PAC's meeting comes on the back of hectic late-night parleys by Kejriwal and Sisodia who visited Kumar’s residence to try and get the rebel leader back on board. Senior leaders including Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh were also present at this meet.
Vishwas today also attended the PAC meeting.
The decision came three days after Khan alleged that Kumar was conspiring to break the party and plotting a coup against Kejriwal at the behest of the BJP and RSS.
Appearing before the media with Sisodia, Kumar said that he was happy that a dialogue among party members had resumed.
Earlier, there were reports that Kumar had put forth certain demands before the party leadership as conditions. These, sources had said, included a reshuffle in party ranks, no objections by the party to his nationalistic views, action against Khan and no apology for criticising party.
Addressing the media last evening, an emotional Vishwas had hit out at the party leadership for not acting against Khan despite the latter branding him a BJP-RSS agent. Vishwas also suggested a larger conspiracy against him by higher-ups in the party, drawing severe criticism from Sisodia.
