Rebel meet: AAP hints at strong action against dissidents

New Delhi: Hinting that a crackdown was imminent on party rebels, AAP leader Ashutosh on Tuesday said that the party will "soon" sit down to discuss the developments at the dissident-led convention and take an "appropriate" decision in this regard.

"Today's developments clearly indicate that they (rebels) have decided to break the party. Now they will perhaps decide what future course they should chart out," Ashutosh said.

Terming the actions of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan as "tragic and sad", he said, "The entire exercise that happened today and the speeches of different people present on the dais, it's very clear that they have already decided that they will break the party."

The highest decision making body of AAP will sit down and take an appropriate decision soon, he said. "I am also amazed that whoever is expelled from AAP or leaves it finally joins the BJP," he said.

He also criticised the rebels for not showing "appreciation" to party volunteers who played crucial role behind the massive AAP victory in Delhi.

"I am amazed that the entire eight hours for which so called discussions happened not a word of appreciation was uttered for thousands of volunteers who put their efforts to gain such a massive victory in Delhi and stop the juggernaut of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The march of fascism was stopped in Delhi.

"They might have differences with Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai, Kumar Vishwas, but they should have said at least a word of appreciation for thousands of volunteers," he said.

Earlier, in a veiled threat, senior party leader Sanjay Singh said AAP's all-powerful Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and its National Executive (NE) would decide the next move in this regard after the meeting.

"Swaraj Samwad is not a party function. The PAC and NE will decide on what action needs to be taken after the meeting," Singh had said.