Membership drive begins without Gariadhar MLA; absence of photo also raises speculation.

Gujarat AAP Drive Begins, MLA Missing

The conspicuous absence of Gariadhar MLA Sudhir Vaghani from the Aam Aadmi Party&rsquo;s (AAP) statewide membership campaign launch in Ahmedabad has initiated renewed speculation about internal unease within the party. 
Neither present at the high-profile event nor featured on any promotional hoardings, Vaghani&rsquo;s no-show came just six days after the suspension of another AAP legislator, Botad MLA Umesh Makwana, intensifying questions around growing dissent in the Gujarat unit.
Vaghani, who defeated six-time BJP MLA Keshu Nakrani in the 2022 Assembly elections by a margin of 4,819 votes, could not be reached for comment. While party leaders maintained there was no internal discord, the absence of his image and presence at such a significant organisational event did not go unnoticed.
Addressing the rumours directly, AAP&rsquo;s Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi responded in the presence of national convener Arvind Kejriwal. &ldquo;Sudhir Vaghani has gone to Surat for social work. There is no discontent. He met Kejriwal just yesterday and was with us as recently as yesterday,&rdquo; Gadhvi said. However, he did not clarify why Vaghani&rsquo;s photograph was omitted from campaign posters displayed at the venue.
The membership drive, launched by Kejriwal on Tuesday in Ahmedabad, marked a major post-bypoll push by the party following its victory in Visavadar. AAP&rsquo;s Gopal Italia had retained the seat vacated by Bhupat Bhayani, further cementing the party&rsquo;s footprint in the Saurashtra region.
Kejriwal addressed party workers with a mix of celebration and resolve. &ldquo;I congratulate all our soldiers for the Visavadar victory, but the real credit goes to the public who trusted an honest party. Many worked tirelessly for two months &mdash; I salute their efforts. This win is not just a coincidence; it's a divine message that the decision of the people is the decision of God,&rdquo; he said.
He noted that the margin of victory was three times greater than in the previous election, describing it as proof of shifting public sentiment despite the BJP&rsquo;s longstanding dominance in Gujarat. &ldquo;For 30 years, the Congress ruled Gujarat, and for the next 30, it has been BJP. Now that cycle will break. It&rsquo;s time for an honest party to lead,&rdquo; Kejriwal declared.
The AAP leader also hit back at BJP Gujarat President C R Patil, who recently claimed one AAP MLA had already joined the BJP while two others were in contact. &ldquo;I heard Patil say that one AAP MLA has already joined them and two others are in contact. I want to tell him &mdash; have some shame and fear God. What answer will you give after death, when asked what you did on earth &mdash; poaching MLAs from other parties? You ruled for 30 years and should have built schools, hospitals, created jobs, constructed roads and provided reliable electricity, not tried to break other parties,&rdquo; Kejriwal said.
As part of the newly launched membership initiative, each AAP worker has been assigned to reach 100 households in order to strengthen the party&rsquo;s grassroots presence across the state. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve won the quarter-final in Visavadar,&rdquo; said senior AAP leader Gopal Rai. &ldquo;The semi-final is the upcoming local body elections, and the final will be the 2027 Assembly polls.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, Umesh Makwana&rsquo;s suspension has added to the perception of instability within AAP&rsquo;s Gujarat unit. Gadhvi, announcing the disciplinary action on X, stated that while Makwana resigned from his whip and joint national secretary responsibilities, he had not relinquished his seat or left the party &mdash; a move seen internally as a pressure tactic.
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MLA Sudhir Vaghani missing in posters during key AAP's campaign

3 જુલાઈ, 2025 | 15:04 IST

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