Controversy has come calling on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) yet again.
This time, it’s the leak of an alleged phone conversation between two party MPs - Bhagwat Mann and Dharamvir Gandhi. The audio clip reveals Mann’s discontent with the AAP leadership in Delhi. He has accused Arvind Kejriwal and others of not understanding politics in Punjab where people vote for individuals and not necessarily for the party.
Punjab politics is personality-based. Even in my case, it was personality that worked. I have had a celebrity status for 20 years. It is our personalities that got the votes.
— Bhagwant Mann, AAP MP from Sangrur
In the audio, Mann also takes credit for the AAP’s victory in the Delhi elections.
“We need to seriously convey to them that we are the winners and we are Delhi winners too. Check out all the constituencies where we campaigned in Delhi, the margin of victory is huge there,” he adds.
The AAP refrained from commenting on the audio clip, but it was quick to blame the Modi-led government for leaking the audio clip.
Mr Gandhi has said that this audio clip has been recorded by some Central Agency. It is a very dangerous trend for Indian Democracy. Is the Modi Government secretly recording telephonic conversation between two MPs? We will request Mr Mann to file a complaint with the speaker Lok Sabha in this matter.
— AAP Spokesperson
The AAP has also blamed the Modi government for breaching the privacy of almost all parliamentarians. Ironically, AAP has itself been accused of such practices.
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh has sought to play down the controversy.
Such edited audio and video clips are nothing new. People are not interested in all this.
— Sanjay Singh, AAP Leader
When The Quint tried contacting Mann on the phone, he didn’t answer it. However, Dharamvir Gandhi, who is currently suspended by the AAP for anti-party activities, said whatever Mann said was not wrong.
I did not say anything wrong and neither did Bhagwant Mann. Party won’t go against Bhagwant Mann.
— Dharamvir Gandhi, Patiala MP
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra has rubbished the AAP’s allegations by saying the audio clip shows a rift within the party. “The leaked audio clip shows a tussle for power within AAP itself.”
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