New Delhi/Mumbai, March 10 (IANS): Top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Gopai Rai, Pankaj Gupta and Sanjay Singh on Tuesday accused fellow party men Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav of conspiring to defeat the party before the Delhi election.

In a joint statement, they clarified that the March 4 National Executive (NE) had decided to release Prashant Bhushan and Yadav from the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) and assign them new responsibilities.

"While all workers were struggling to ensure the party's victory, the trio - Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and Shanti Bhushan - were making allout efforts for the party's defeat," the joint statement said.

"The PAC did not publicise the reasons behind the move as it could affect the senior duo's reputation... But the manner in which an atmosphere has been created that the NE was undemocratic and irresponsible, and the questions raised in the minds of the AAP activists, we are compelled to give this explanation," the statement added.

The statement comes after Maharashtra Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader, Mayank Gandhi, in his blogs in Mumbai last week questioned the wisdom of sacking Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the PAC when they were ready to quit with an honourable exit route.

Gandhi had also said he was being targeted over his remarks.

The AAP secured a historic mandate, winning 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly in February.