Gujarat AAP MLA resigns from all party posts; suspended

Ahmedabad: The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday suspended its MLA Umesh Makwana for "anti-party" activities, hours after he resigned from all the party posts, except as legislator, claiming the AAP has failed to raise issues of the backward classes.

The MLA's move came just three days after the AAP retained its Visavadar seat in the state in a bypoll.

Makwana, who represents Botad seat, announced in Gandhinagar that he has resigned as the party's national secretary and whip in the state assembly.

The MLA, who belongs to the Koli (Other Backward Class) community, said he will continue to work as an ordinary AAP worker.

Asked if he was also planning to resign as MLA, Makwana said he will take a decision after consulting people of his constituency to make sure they do not suffer.

Soon after his move, Gujarat AAP president Isudan Gadhvi issued a statement announcing Makwana's suspension.

"Umesh Makwana has been suspended from AAP for five years for indulging in anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities," Gadhvi said in the statement.

Makwana was one of the five AAP MLAs elected for the first time in the 2022 polls to the 182-member state assembly.

His sudden announcement came just three days after AAP leader Gopal Italia won the bypoll to Visavadar seat in Junagadh district by defeating BJP candidate Kirit Patel.

In the 2022 assembly polls, AAP's Bhupendra Bhayani emerged victorious in Visavadar but the seat fell vacant in December 2023 after Bhayani resigned and joined the ruling BJP.

In the bypoll held recently, former state AAP chief Italia defeated BJP's Kirit Patel by a comfortable margin of 17,554 votes.

The AAP, however, faced defeat in Mehsana's Kadi constituency, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, where party nominee Jagdish stood third. The BJP retained the seat, while Congress came second.

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Makwana alleged that all parties, be it the BJP, Congress or AAP, always ignore backward classes when it comes to offering them key posts such as chief minister or party president.

"The population of OBCs, including Kolis, is highest in Gujarat. But, the BJP, despite being in power for nearly 30 years, never made an OBC as the CM of Gujarat or their party president. The Congress also failed to raise issues concerning Kolis and other backward classes," he claimed.

Irrespective of parties, the OBC leaders are given importance only during elections but sidelined once the polls are over, Makwana charged.

He claimed the AAP has also failed to raise issues concerning the backward classes.

"Be it Gujarat's politics or national politics, there is no meaning of hanging a photograph of Dr BR Ambedkar in offices if the party can't walk on the path shown by him," Makwana said.

"That is why I am resigning from all the party posts. I will take a decision on quitting as MLA after consulting my people in Botad. I have also called a meeting of all the OBC leaders in the coming days to discuss the road ahead. I will share my future plans after that meeting," he said.

Makwana also accused the AAP's national and local leadership of being biased against the party's Dalit candidate in Kadi seat, Jagdish Chavda, who lost the election.

"The party leaders concentrated only on the Visavadar poll and invested all resources there because Gopal Italia is a Patidar. On the other hand, our Kadi candidate Jagdish Chavda did not receive any help because he is a Dalit. Chavda took a loan of Rs 10 lakh to fight the poll. Why such discrimination?" he asked.