New Delhi: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav said that there are better leaders than him in the party. He said, "The party's talent pools has expanded so much that it would be a pity if we do not allow that kind of a talent pool to be reflected in our leadership."
Here is the transcript of the interview:
CNN-IBN: Sir, of all the crisis that has hit the AAP, this is perhaps the most serious because it involves people right at the top...two members of the Political Affairs Committee...letters were also leaked. You raised many structural issues in your letter but perhaps what actually touched a raw nerve was that you said that Arvind Kejriwal had started behaving like a party supremo, that decisions were taken on the spur of the moment and that when he changed his mind the party changed its course. Has there been any resolution of that? How is it going to be different now?
Yogendra Yadav: Every crisis is an opportunity. And I am happy that my party has treated this like an opportunity. I don't think it is much of a deep crisis. I wanted to raise some questions which have been pending for a long time. I raised those questions in my letter and I was very confident that my party will address this. That is why I never went to the media and when the first opportunity came by the way of the National Executive I am very satisfied that the party did take up those things. All those questions were discussed including those very difficult questions and certain ways were worked out so that we improve our decision making process.
CNN-IBN: Do you have mechanisms in place now that will guard against impulsive decision making?
Yogendra Yadav: We have worked out these things. In politics not everything is written in the form of rules, not everything is cast in stone and not everything is announced to the media. But there are issues that get worked out. I must say that I am proud of the fact that here is a party that these questions can be raised. Can you imagine these questions being raised in the BSP, the Congress or the BJP and the person surviving? Surviving in the highest decision making body of the party? This can only happen in the AAP.
CNN-IBN: Manish Sisodia in his letter to you actually raised many issues. He said the decision to contest Lok sabha elections on a grand scale was yours when Arvind Kejriwal had a different opinion on that. Is that accurate?
Yogendra Yadav: I have not responded to Manish bhai's letter. I read it. I thought that he was particularly angry. And the best thing about angry letters is that you should read them, not re-read them and not remind about them.
CNN-IBN: I wanted to ask you a question on the last line of his letter... that perhaps you wanted to finish off the AAP, or perhaps finish Naveen Jaihind or perhaps finish Arvind Kejriwal... now that is a very serious allegation... that is an extreme statement to make. When you read that, what crossed your mind?
Yogendra Yadav: Different styles, people have different forms, ways of expressing themselves. Mine is a particularly mild way and I feel happy about the way that I conduct myself. But I cannot possibly demand that everybody else write letters the way I write. In politics, form is not that important, I think substance is more important . Manish bhai was very much there today when the entire meeting requested me not to press for my resignation. And I am sure he would not want to do so to someone who wants to destroy his party.
CNN-IBN: Can we say that the AAP is re-inventing itself and taking several corrective measures. For Arvind Kejriwal also to reach out to leaders who have raised questions also perhaps a first?
Yogendra Yadav: I think the party is moving forward. Lok Sabha elections was an opportunity for us. There have been lots of pluses, we have built a very good foundation, there have been unexpected set backs and the point now for us is to move forward, re-invent in some ways, strengthen organisation, lay down protocols, learn from our mistakes and tell the country that we still stand for the hope that you invested in us.
CNN-IBN: Will there be changes in the Political Affairs Committe?
Yogendra Yadav: In the last elections, the party's talent pools has expanded so much that it would be a pity if we do not allow that kind of a talent pool to be reflected in our leadership. And I am very proud to say that the party has better leaders than people like me today. Yes, in the due course, they should be running the party and not just people like me who just happen to be in the initial team.
CNN-IBN: There is no residue of anger and bitterness at the end of the day?
Yogendra Yadav: Politics is not about these things. these are minor individual things. After twenty years who would remember my name? It is not individuals who matter. It is not my personal feelings that matter. It is about the issues you raise, it is the hopes of people who had invested something in us. That is what matters. And I would be happy if we continue to retain that hope.
CNN-IBN: You met Arvind Kejriwal in the morning today? Can you tell us what transpired in that meeting and what led you to meet him in the morning before the National Executive meeting?
Yogendra Yadav: I read newspapers in the morning which said, "Yogendra Vs Kejriwal". I was aghast. And the first impulse was to pick the newspaper and just go to his home and say, 'Arvind, what is this nonsense happening here?', and he agreed, that it was nonsense, and we talked about certain things that needed to be talked about and then we came here. Prashantji was also with us. We have been colleagues. We are colleagues. These are small things. And media ofcourse loves to give prominence to us. We are grateful for the attention we get. We would be even more grateful if our positive things were also given some attention.
CNN-IBN: Crisis over for the party for now?
Yogendra Yadav: As I said, crisis is an opportunity. Here was an opportunity and we have taken a step forward.
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