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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ideologue Yogendra Yadav is likely to remain in the party's national executive committee (NEC), but may not be part of its political affairs committee (PAC), sources said.
The PAC is the top governing body of the party, currently with nine members. The NEC is the second highest body consisting other leaders and state unit members also.
This follows party leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Kumar Vishwas reaching out to Yadav at Sisodia's residence on Friday after the party's NEC meeting.
According to sources, Sisodia is also trying to reach out to senior leader Shazia Ilmi, who had resigned from the party after her discomfort with party's functioning.
The top leadership has also convinced party's Haryana leader Navin Jaihind to remain in the NEC. These are seen as damage control moves by AAP following spats that broke out between senior leaders in the open.
Yadav and Jaihind had both offered resignations from top party posts following a rift over AAP's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana.
Also, Yadav may no longer retain the post of party's Haryana in-charge and could be asked to look after Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, a source said.
Party leaders admitted of a difference in opinion within the party. "We have internal democracy so we can have difference within the party as well. Every party member has the authority to voice his opinion," senior leader Sanjay Singh told reporters after the meeting. He, however, said the party didn't discuss the resignations.
Kejriwal put on trial
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday put on trial by a Delhi court on charges of defamation on a complaint filed against him by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Gadkari.
Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha framed the notice under Section 251 of the CrPC (dealing with issuance of summons in such complaints) against Kejriwal and fixed the matter for recording of evidence of Gadkari and his witnesses on August 2.
The court framed the charge after Kejriwal, former Delhi Chief Minister, refused to heed to the magistrate's suggestion to amicably resolve the case filed against him by Gadkari, even after the Union Minister indicated that if the AAP leader was ready to withdraw his alleged defamatory statement he would drop his complaint.
"That on January 30, 2014, you made and published imputations/statements against the complainant, Nitin Gadkari, in the media stating that he is a corrupt politician and that people should see whether they should vote....," the magistrate said in the order.
Damania speaks
Senior AAP leader Anjali Damania, who quit top party post for a few hours on Thursday, said she was let down by the party due to the "negativity that was building up".
"I had broken down because of the negativity that was building up. I can fight the most corrupt, but I can't have negativity in the party. Otherwise, the cause is lost," Damania told Business Standard on the phone from Mumbai on late Thursday night.
Damania, who is the party's Maharashtra unit convener, had quit party post because of her displeasure at the behaviour of certain local leaders after the party received a drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
"The party will most likely accept Yadav's resignation tomorrow from the party posts...only a miracle can lead to his return. However, that of Jaihind's may not be accepted as Arvind doesn't want to lose him," said a source.
Party leaders admitted there was a difference in opinion within the party. "We have internal democracy so we can have difference within the party as well. Every party member has the authority to voice his opinion," senior leader Sanjay Singh told reporters after the meeting. He, however, said that the party didn't discuss the resignations in the meeting.
However, Yadav may no longer retain the post of party's Haryana in-charge and could be asked to look after Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, a source said.
Meanwhile, the leaked letter shot by Sisodia to Yadav on his disappointment with the latter's behavior concerned Kejriwal who looked disappointed after this episode.
The party also discussed the Nitin Gadkari defamation case filed against Kejriwal. Sources said that Kejriwal is not likely to withdraw the statements made against Gadkari terming him as a "corrupt leader". Party's Maharashtra convener Anjali Damania has been called to Delhi to furnish all the evidential documents that she possessed against the Bhartiya Janata Party leader. Damania had been a whistle-blower in the Maharashtra irrigation scam and had alleged the involvement of Gadkari.
The party also discussed about the re-structuring at the block and panchayat level. Also, Sisodia has been given in-charge to lead the party's strategy in Delhi in case of a re-election. A party source said that there is strong possibility that Sisodia may be pitched for being the Delhi chief minister.
