AAP REACHING OUT TO ITS REBEL MLAS

NEWDELHI:The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is trying to reach out to its dissident MLAs to strengthen its organisation in Delhi.

The party has, in one such move, approached its rebel lawmakers Col (retd) Devinder Sehrawat and Pankaj Pushkar, to mend relations. The two have started attending government and party activities in their areas.

Pushkar, an MLA from Timarpur, has been at odds with the party leadership since November 2015 when he was suspended for two days from the Delhi assembly for demanding a discussion despite the speaker’s objections.

Sehrawat, a lawmaker from Bijwasan, was ‘upset’ after the party removed founder-members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan in April 2015. Considered close to Yadav and Bhushan, Sehrawat was suspended in September 2016. “Yes, the party is trying to contact me,” confirmed Sehrawat. He, however, said there was an issue over funds for his constituency, which he needs to settle with the party.

Sehrawat said ‘some’ senior leaders had approached him. Sources said party’s senior leader Ashutosh made attempts to broke a truce with him.

Pushkar said he has a ‘good’ relation with the party and will soon issue a statement if the party has approached him or not.

The party is also in touch with sacked ministers Sandeep Kumar and Asim Ahmed Khan, according to the sources.

Party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the party did not harbour any animosity against any leader. He said the dissenting MLAs had started coming back after the party won the Bawana by poll in August 2017.