In a significant political development just days before the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, 2025, eight sitting Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have tendered their resignations. The legislators have expressed dissatisfaction over being denied tickets for the upcoming polls and have raised serious allegations against the party’s leadership, including issues of corruption and deviation from foundational principles.
List of Resigning MLAs:
- Girish Soni (Madipur): Soni, the incumbent MLA from Madipur, announced his resignation, expressing disillusionment with the party’s internal activities. He questioned whether the party still represented common people, referencing controversies like the “Sheeshmahal” incident.
- Rohit Kumar Mehraulia (Trilokpuri): Representing Trilokpuri, Mehraulia resigned, accusing the party of exploiting the Dalit and Valmiki communities for political gain and failing to address employment issues within these groups.
- Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar): The MLA from Kasturba Nagar stepped down after being denied a ticket, stating that he had lost faith in both AAP and its national convener, Arvind Kejriwal.
- Bhavna Gaur (Palam): Gaur, representing Palam, resigned from all party positions, citing a loss of confidence in the leadership and the party’s direction.
- Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri): The Janakpuri MLA accused AAP of abandoning its core principles of corruption-free governance, transparency, and accountability, leading to his resignation.
- Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli): Yadav, from Mehrauli, cited pervasive corruption within the party as his primary reason for leaving, emphasizing that AAP had strayed from its original mission to combat corruption.
- Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar): Representing Adarsh Nagar, Sharma expressed disappointment over the party’s departure from its founding ideals and tendered his resignation.
- Bhupender Singh Joon (Bijwasan): Joon, the MLA from Bijwasan, highlighted concerns over the party’s increasing centralization, lack of transparency, and diminishing internal democracy as reasons for his departure.
These resignations come on the heels of AAP’s decision to drop 20 incumbent MLAs from its candidate list for the 2025 Delhi elections, opting instead to field newcomers from rival parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in certain constituencies.
The departure of these MLAs underscores internal strife within AAP, with members voicing concerns over the party’s current trajectory and leadership decisions. The resignations also highlight allegations of corruption and a perceived shift away from the party’s original values, which focused on transparency and serving the common citizen.
As the February 5 election date approaches, these developments present a significant challenge for AAP, which has been in power in Delhi since 2015. The party now faces the dual task of addressing internal dissent and countering opposition parties aiming to capitalize on the situation.
The resigning MLAs have not yet announced their future political plans. Their departures, however, are poised to influence the political landscape of Delhi, potentially affecting voter perceptions and the overall dynamics of the upcoming elections.
