Setback for AAP as Three MLAs Depart Before Delhi Elections
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Synopsis
The Aam Aadmi Party faces a significant challenge with the resignation of three MLAs ahead of the Delhi elections. Naresh Yadav, Rajesh Rishi, and Rohit Kumar Mehraulia’s exits raise questions about AAP's integrity and commitment to its founding principles.
Key Takeaways
- Three AAP MLAs resign ahead of elections.
- Resignations highlight discontent with party leadership.
- Concerns over unfulfilled promises to marginalized communities.
- Political competition intensifies as elections near.
- Impact on AAP's electoral prospects remains to be seen.
New Delhi, Jan 31 (NationPress) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is encountering a significant challenge right before the Delhi Assembly elections, as three of its MLAs -- Naresh Yadav, Rajesh Rishi, and Rohit Kumar Mehraulia -- announced their resignations from the party on Friday. This development poses a considerable setback as the party prepares for a highly competitive election on February 5.
Naresh Yadav, who has represented Mehrauli, was the first to step down, asserting in his resignation letter that AAP has strayed from its founding ideal of honest politics.
He claimed that instead of delivering on its commitment to combat corruption, the party had “fallen into the depths of corruption itself.”
Yadav, who has served the Mehrauli constituency for a decade, expressed his disillusionment with the party's leadership, believing it had betrayed the public's trust. While he noted that some leaders within AAP still exemplified integrity, he expressed profound disappointment at the party's evolution. He urged the residents of Mehrauli to continue backing him in his upcoming political pursuits.
Rohit Kumar Mehraulia, another MLA resigning from Trilokpuri, articulated his dissatisfaction on 'X', recounting that he joined AAP during the Anna Hazare movement, motivated by the desire to achieve social justice for the Dalit and Valmiki communities, which have historically faced discrimination.
Mehraulia highlighted that despite AAP’s pledges to uplift these communities, the party has failed to tackle critical issues such as the termination of contract-based labor and the permanent employment of temporary workers. He accused the leadership of merely using his community as a voting bloc to advance their political agenda while suppressing his efforts to advocate for them.
He lamented that, despite his dedicated service to AAP, the party has not honored its commitments, prompting his heartfelt resignation.
Rajesh Rishi, the MLA from Janakpuri, also resigned, expressing his growing disillusionment with AAP's deviation from its fundamental values.
In his resignation letter, he criticized the party for betraying the principles of corruption-free governance and transparency upon which it was founded. Rishi, a former backer of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, condemned AAP for forsaking its pledge to combat corruption, accusing the party of transforming into a “cesspit of nepotism and corruption.”
He also referenced how the party has failed to respect the sacrifices of its workers, including the case of Santosh Koli, whose demise he felt was exploited for political gain. Rishi concluded that the party, once a symbol of integrity, has devolved into an “unruly gang,” betraying the trust of its constituents.
As the February 5 elections draw near, the competition for Delhi is heating up, with AAP, BJP, and Congress making significant efforts to win voter favor. All three parties have unveiled their manifestos, offering pledges and promises in a bid for control of the national capital. The final results of this high-stakes contest will be revealed on February 8.
