New Delhi: Seeking support of people, dissident AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday held a meeting - Swaraj Samvad, a dialogue on present and future of alternative politics.
Here are the live updates:
7:40 pm: 'Swaraj Samvad' will become the platform for people to raise their voice, says Anand Kumar.
7:35 pm: After today’s 'Swaraj Samvad' a proposal has been made that by the name of 'Swaraj Abhiyan' an initiative would be taken. This program will do four work, will do agitation by taking people’s issue, will organize swaraj dialogue, will make the strategy for country’s future maps and will train workers. Supporter of alternative politics should welcome this step and those who can’t, I can only feel sorry for them, says Yogendra Yadav.
5:00 pm: If today we announce of forming a new political party, then dangers will be the same which AAP is facing, Bhushan further says.
4:55 pm: We demanded that Lokpal should be made in each state with final decisions taken by national Lokpal,but party leadership denied it. Now we are hearing that as we have organized this dialogue, we have been removed from party, adds Bhushan.
4:50 pm: We promised that we will be the first party that will come on RTI. It’s been two years we can’t even see the party decisions on party's website, what kind of transparency is this? asks Bhushan.
2.00 pm: In an apparent dig at Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav says he is amazed that AAP, which was formed on the basis of democracy, is now afraid of dialogue.
“One opinion is that everything is fine with party leadership and we should trust them, while the other is we should struggle or form another party,” says Yadav, when asked about future course of action.
By evening a final decision will be taken, Yadav further said.
Yadav urges supporters to return to party's constitution, mission and vision in order to end the anger and sadness around them.
"There are AAP volunteers who are still expecting some miracle to happen. For all those for whom AAP was the fresh gush of air, under these circumstances, we have to work very hard to keep the dream alive. The anger and sadness around must come to an end. For this I request that we all return to our constitution, we all must return to our mission and we must come back to the vision we had when the party started," Yadav says.
1.00 pm: Shanti Bhushan addresses supporters, says AAP had assured revolutionary change in this country. “We will not let this movement die down,” adds.
The noted Supreme Court lawyer further says that AAP should think on improving the conditions of farmers
11.00 am: AAP rebels Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav begin Swaraj Samvad in Gurgaon. The convention will end at 5 pm today.
10.05 am: Calling the meet a dialogue on alternative politics, dissident AAP leader Yogendra Yadav says party's constitution gives the power to an ordinary member of freedom of expression.
Reacting to the Kejriwal camp's decision of not accepting ''Swaraj Samvad' as an official meet, Yadav says, "Party need not own the meeting, but if workers are using the right given to them by party’s constitution, I am sure the party would respect it."
9.55 am: Yogendra Yadav arrives for the 'Swaraj Samvad' meet.
9.45 am: Former AAP National Council member Vishal Sharma Lathe confirms that thousands of members from different states will be attending the ‘Swaraj Samvad'. Lathe says that the leaders attending the convention will deliberate on whether the party is moving towards wrong direction and decide if any course correction is needed.
“There has always been lack of dialogue between party workers and leaders in party and this meet this is only an attempt to fill that gap,” asserts Lathe.
9.35 am: AAP Timarpur MLA Pankaj Pushkar, who is attending the meet says, 'Swaraj Samvad' has been organised to strengthen and rejuvenate the party.
9.25 am: While extending his wishes, Kejriwal camp leader Ashutosh says the 'Swaraj Samvad' meeting will be closely monitored.
The meet called by Yadav and Bhushan is not an official meet so whichever party member attends they will be doing it in his own responsibility, says Ashutosh.
9.15 am: Kejriwal confidante Sanjay Singh warns if any MLA or elected worker attends the rebels' meet 'Swaraj Samvad', then the leadership will decide on further action in the next meeting of the National Executive.
“If any MLA or elected representative of party attends it, then we'll decide on further action when PAC and NE members meet in future,” Singh maintains.
According to reports, the meet has been called by the duo to decide their future course of action after being expelled from the party’s decision-making bodies.
However, sources close to Yadav and Bhushan said the rebel camp will not announce floating of a new party, but will raise issues of inner-party democracy and transparency in the organisation at the event.
Yadav said they have received tremendous response from the volunteers across the country and this has compelled them to change the venue.
"The agenda for Swaraj Samvad will be plight and direction of the alternate politics. We will also discuss on what should the direction be," he said.
The entire convention will be streamed online.
Bhushan and Yadav, who are co-founders of the AAP along with party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have pledged to approach the Supreme Court and the Election Commission against their sacking.
The Yadav and Bhushan camp has also said that over 100 candidates who had contested on AAP ticket in the Lok Sabha polls will attend the event.
