In a major political setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) just weeks before the Delhi Assembly elections, eight of its sitting MLAs resigned from the party on Friday. The legislators, who were denied tickets for the upcoming polls, accused the party leadership of sidelining them, failing to uphold its founding principles, and betraying its commitment to transparency and clean governance.
The eight MLAs who resigned from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party are Girish Soni (Madipur), Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), Bhavna Gaur (Palam), Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar), and BS Joon (Bijwasan). Their resignations come amid growing discontent over AAP’s decision to drop 20 incumbent MLAs from its list and instead field turncoats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in key constituencies.
Girish Soni, the outgoing MLA from Madipur, openly criticized AAP’s internal functioning, stating that the party has become the subject of widespread criticism. He alluded to the controversy surrounding the “Sheeshmahal” issue and questioned whether AAP still represented common people. In his resignation, he cited disappointment and a loss of faith in the party’s leadership.
Rohit Mehraulia, the Trilokpuri MLA, accused AAP of exploiting the Dalit and Valmiki communities for political gains while failing to fulfill promises related to their upliftment and employment. He expressed frustration over being overlooked and stated that the party had lost touch with its grassroots support base.
Madan Lal, who represented Kasturba Nagar, also voiced his disillusionment, stating that he had lost trust in both the party and Kejriwal’s leadership. Similarly, Bhavna Gaur from Palam announced her resignation, declaring that she no longer believed in AAP’s ideology and governance.
Janakpuri MLA Rajesh Rishi accused the party of straying from its core values of corruption-free governance, transparency, and accountability. He lamented that AAP had abandoned the very ideals that once set it apart from traditional political outfits.
Pawan Kumar Sharma from Adarsh Nagar echoed these sentiments, expressing deep regret over AAP’s alleged deviation from its honest ideology. In his resignation, he stated that the party’s current direction no longer aligned with the values it was founded upon.
BS Joon, the MLA from Bijwasan, described a “significant deviation” in AAP’s approach, blaming it for becoming increasingly centralized, opaque, and undemocratic. He emphasized that the party had lost its democratic essence over time.
Mehrauli MLA Naresh Yadav cited corruption as the primary reason for his resignation, asserting that AAP had become fully immersed in unethical practices. He recalled joining AAP with the vision of eliminating corruption from Delhi and eventually from the entire country but claimed that the party had failed to uphold that mission.
With these resignations, AAP faces a growing rebellion within its ranks at a crucial juncture. The mass exodus of sitting MLAs just before the elections raises questions about the party’s internal functioning and strategy, potentially weakening its position in the high-stakes Delhi polls.
