'Limits crossed, conspiracies hatched': Arvind Kejriwal on expelling Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today justified AAP's decision to expel dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from top party posts, saying limits were "crossed" and "conspiracies" hatched.

Kejriwal also expressed regret for using abusive language that surfaced in audio sting in which he purportedly hurled expletives against rebel AAP leaders Ajit Jha and Anand Kumar.

"I am a human being and I make mistakes. I was angry. The kind of language could have been avoided," he said in comments that came amid the turmoil in the Aam Admi Party(AAP).

The Delhi Chief Minister was speaking after launching a book titled "The Crown Prince, The Gladiator and the Hope" authored by AAP leader Ashutosh.

He also sought to dispel the notion that contrarian voices don't have a place in the party and said that there was respect for different view points in the party.

"The notion that there are no contrarian voices among us are wrong. It would be wrong to say Ashutosh, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas agree to everything. They have all left their careers, put everything at stake and joined us.

"But everything happens within decorum. There is a limit. Within the four walls, we argue and fight a lot, but outside we are a team. When limits are crossed, it is painful," Kejriwal said.

When further prodded on Shanti Bhushan's comments that BJP's Kiran Bedi was a better Chief Ministerial candidate, he said, "There were a series of incidents. I felt a lot of pain. Just before the election, such statements were issued which could affect (the outcome of the polls)."

The AAP chief said that he broke down at a National Executive meeting in June last year because "conspiracies were being hatched and personal attacks were being made."

"Probably it was difficult for me to handle it emotionally. That is the reason I got emotional," Kejriwal said.