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Seven MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party resigned from the party on Friday, saying AAP has moved away from its original ideology of 'honesty' and its leadership has been tainted into several cases of 'corruption'.
The MLAs who tendered their resignation are: Rohit Maharoliya from Trilokpuri, Madan Lal from Kasturba Nagar, Rajesh Rishi from Janakpuri, Bhavna Gaud from Palam, Bhupender Singh June from Bijwasan, and Pawan Kumar Sharma from Adarsh Nagar, Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli)--submitted their resignation letters to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The leaders cited different concerns, ranging from 'ideological shifts' to 'corruption' and 'mismanagement' within the party. Notably, the resignations come just months ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. Bhupinder Singh Joon, while tendering his resignation, told ANI, "There is no pressure on us, candidate list came on 9th December and today is 31st January, so amid this, we thought about this and accessed." He added, "The ideology with which AAP had come, it has moved away from it...there are 4-5 people in the high command who are totally corrupt and there are chargesheets registered against them in Liquor scam and Swati Maliwal case." Similarly, Madan Lal explained his decision to quit the party expressing disappointment over ticket distribution for the upcoming polls. " Don't feel like working in this party, this is the biggest reason, we thought about it so many times, even though we did not get tickets, we stayed in the party for over 1 and half months but those people to whom the party gave tickets, their performance, party's performance, it feels like party made a mistake...party is moving away from its ideologies..." Rohit Kumar also expressed his disappointment, stating that the party has not lived up to its promises, and today AAP has nothing but "fake assurances". "I reached this conclusion with a lot of pain and sorrow, along with my colleagues...we were associated with AAP since the agitation time and many of our colleagues are old members, who set up the party...we joined the party with a hope that this party will do clean politics and stand against corruption...today, I have to say with a lot of pain that we have got nothing but fake assurances," he said. Rajesh Rishi pointed to the controversy surrounding AAP MP Swati Maliwal, alleging that she was assaulted by Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the former CM's residence. "Swati Maliwal is our MP...she was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar at his (Arvind Kejriwal) residence...she was tortured at his residence...Arvind Kejriwal is behaving like a Hitler now, he changed the Constitution of the party, earlier Convener used to be for 2 years and now he has become Convener forever," he told ANI. Bhavna Gaur, meanwhile, emphasized that she is not upset about being denied a ticket but is disillusioned with the leadership. "I want to say that I am not angry (over not getting ticket), I know the reality...I have served the people of Palam and I am not upset regarding this." She added, "The thing I am upset about is, the ideology with which AAP came, today, its Convener wears spectacles through which he can only see what the people next to him are showing him and he listens to only what they say. I am very upset with him because of this..." Naresh Yadav, in his resignation, cited rampant corruption as his primary concern. He said that while party's primary mission was to eliminate corruption, the party today is "fully immersed" in corruption. "I have resigned from all posts of AAP... the main reason is corruption, the way AAP has been fully immersed in corruption, AAP emerged from Anna Hazare's agitation, we only had one motive, we had to eliminate corruption from Delhi and then the whole country and make India corruption free, this was my thought when I joined AAP..." The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to take place on February 5, while counting of votes will be held on February 8. (ANI)
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