Social activist and anti-corruption campaigner Medha Patkar on Saturday quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the unceremonious expulsion of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan from the party’s national executive.
Patkar said Yadav and Bhushan’s expulsion puts a question mark on the future of alternative politics in India.
The 60-year-old campaigner is the founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movement and has a considerable following.
“What has happened is very unfortunate. It was inappropriate and I condemn it in strong words. This is definitely not politics,” Patkar told reporters here.
Defending her colleagues, Patkar said Yadav had been at the forefront of the Haryana farmers movement, while Bhushan was a guide and senior mentor not only to the anti-Narmada Dam agitation but other public campaigns. She said Bhushan had helped fight corruption through his legal acumen and PILs, while Yadav as a spokesperson has defended the party.
“With all this happening and Saturday’s climax, I think nothing much can be expected from this party in terms of the vision of alternative politics of ours, so I have decided to quit,” Patkar declared.
Patkar had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North East constituency.
