Revolt in AAP, Shanti Bhushan attacks Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Aug 13: The Aam Admi Party (AAP) was today stuck by a revolt with one of its top founding leaders Shanti Bhushan questioning his organisational ability and competence, triggering demand for his resignation.

The outburst by the 88-year-old Bhushan, the party Patron and an eminent lawyer, comes on top of simmering discontent in the party over the way it is run and complaints by some leaders there was "lack of democracy" at a time when it has to prepare for the assembly elections in Delhi.

"Arvind (Kejriwal) is a great leader and a great campaigner, but in my opinion he lacks organisational ability. He does not have the kind of competence which can spread the message of the party all over India, which can quickly create elected structures of the party which nobody will be able to blame," Bhushan, a former union law minister, said.

"Therefore this delay of two years in getting the elected structures in place is a great handicap. This is resulting in different voices," he said.

Bhushan's attack on Kejriwal, National Convenor, was sought to be downplayed by party leaders Yogendra Yadav and Ashutosh but Shazia Ilmi, another founder leader who had quit the party recently, joined the attack on Kejriwal. Dissident MLA Vinod Kumar Binny that Kejriwal should resign from the party.

"He said after the demand by senior leader like Shanti Bhushan, Kejriwal should not stay in the post if he has any sense of dignity left in him," he said.

However, the party has said that it does not agree with the comments made by Bhushan.

"The criticism by Bhushan, who is himself one of the founding members of the party, on this issue is misplaced. The biggest example of internal democracy is the party's decision to contest Lok Sabha elections on a large number of seats, despite opposition from the AAP national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal," the party said.

PTI