This story is from March 3, 2015

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav on Monday night disclosed that the issue of "bogus donations’’ raised by AAP Volunteer Action Manch (AVAM), the breakaway volunteer group, had been brought to the notice of party leaders. Yadav claimed to have told the rebels that while the issue was 'relevant', he asked them not to take it beyond the confines of the organization until the elections got over.

He also disclosed that Prashant Bhushan was appointed to probe the allegations. It may be relevant to recall that Prashant Bhushan refused to comment on the issue saying that he will speak after the polls. AVAM had accused the party of accepting funds through round tripping that had become a major issue in the run-up to the assembly elections.

Facing the brunt of a vicious attack by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s loyalists on social media and through a complaint to the party’s disciplinary committee, Yadav made it a point to distance himself from allegations of coveting the post of the national convener. He repeatedly clarified that neither he nor Prashant Bhushan was anxious for power or pelf. "Whether me or Prashantji are in Political Affairs Committee or not is a non-issue for me,’’ he told TV channels, adding that both had suggested reconstitution of the political affairs committee.

Delhi unit secretary Dilip Pandey had accused party patron Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Yadav of "conspiring’’ to unseat Kejriwal in a complaint to the disciplinary committee.

Yadav also sought to play down differences between Kejriwal and himself saying that these were signs of a healthy democracy. Asked about the differences, Yadav said, "It is not a clash. It is a difference of opinion.’’ He also stressed on the "sacrifices’’ made by Kejriwal despite poor health and the Lok Sabha debacle.

Both Yadav and Bhushan have in their note to the national executive recommended setting up of an ethics committee to probe the allegations on donations among other issues and democratization of the decision-making process.

