Yogendra Yadav welcomes PAC's decision to expand AAP nationally, says step in right direction

New Delhi: Battling infighting, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday decided to take steps to end the rift in the party by reaching out to senior leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan besides expanding the party in other states.

Yadav welcomed the party's move and he tweeted, "Welcome PAC's statement to expand the organisation nationally and to consider contesting elections outside Delhi. Step in the right direction. PAC's decision to involve volunteers in party's decision-making recognizes Swaraj within the party. Looking forward to detailed blueprint."

Earlier in the day, a meeting of AAP's Political Affairs Committee was held at Kejriwal's Kaushambi residence also decided to enhance the involvement of its volunteers in its decision-making process.

AAP sources said Kejriwal and other senior leaders expressed concern over the party's image getting hit following the bitter fight between warring factions that had come out in the open in the last two weeks.

"We have already started working to normalise the situation in the party. We have taken a step forward as we have already met Yadav," senior party leader Sanjay Singh said.

Over the past few weeks, AAP has been embroiled in internal turmoil with leaders from both the camps making accusations and levelling allegations against each other.

Singh said the PAC has also decided to expand the party in other states, an issue over which Yadav had come under fire as he had favoured AAP spreading its wings in some other states.

"The party will expand. Will work to strengthen our organisation in other states. A decision on which states party should contest elections in will be taken only after looking at political capacity and leadership in those states. Giving major thrust on volunteers," Singh said adding that the party will involve them in the decision-making process and a committee will be set up for that purpose.

"The party will prepare a list of active volunteers in the country. They will be given importance in the decision-making in the organisation and we have also decided to form a committee on how to increase volunteers participation," he said.

The efforts for rapprochement by both the sides picked momentum following Kejriwal's return on Monday night after 12 days of naturopathy treatment in Bengaluru for his chronic cough and diabetes.

Senior leaders AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh and Ashish Khetan -- all known to be Kejriwal loyalists -- met Yadav late Monday night and held discussions on several contentious issues.

(With additional information from PTI)