<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rejoices over its victory in the recently-concluded Visavadar by-election, internal fissures have emerged with Botad MLA Umesh Makwana stepping down from major party posts. <br><br></span><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The party&rsquo;s celebrations following Gopal Italia&rsquo;s win in Visavadar were tempered by Makwana&rsquo;s sudden resignation as Chief Whip in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and as National Joint Secretary of AAP.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In a letter addressed to party national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Makwana cited a loss of ideological direction within AAP as the reason for his decision. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He wrote, &ldquo;Jai Bharat. I would like to inform you that I have served as the National Joint Secretary of the Aam Aadmi Party for the last two and a half years. Alongside this, I have also served as the Chief Whip of AAP in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. Currently, due to a reduction in my ability to contribute socially, I am resigning from all posts in the Aam Aadmi Party. I will continue to work for the party as a grassroots worker. I request you to relieve me from all my positions and responsibilities.&rdquo;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite resigning from these organisational roles, Makwana made it clear he would continue as an AAP MLA, though he expressed serious concerns about the party&rsquo;s current approach and direction. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In a press conference held in Gandhinagar on Thursday, he criticised the growing dominance of caste-based politics in Gujarat, asserting that all major political parties, including the BJP, Congress, and even AAP, had failed to adequately represent backward communities.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Makwana said, &ldquo;For many years now, casteist ideology has gained strength in Gujarat&rsquo;s politics. Whether it's BJP, Congress or others &mdash; they all play by the same script. I left the BJP in 2020 to join AAP with the hope of genuine change. In 2022, I won from Botad and was appointed Chief Whip.&rdquo; </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He further pointed out that the BJP has never appointed a representative from the Koli community as either Chief Minister or State President. At the same time, he criticised the Congress for its inability to act as a strong opposition voice, saying "it had failed to represent backward communities effectively even while being out of power". </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Speaking about his political future, Makwana stated that he would consult with members of the backward communities and take a decision before the 2027 Assembly elections. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;I will take a call after consulting community members. Whether I form a new party or not, that decision will come later,&rdquo; he said.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Makwana also raised serious allegations about internal bias within the AAP, particularly during the recent by-elections in Visavadar and Kadi. He accused the party of giving preferential treatment to Patidar leader Gopal Italia, who won from Visavadar, while neglecting the Dalit candidate in Kadi. </span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;The party poured all its energy and resources into ensuring Gopal Italia&rsquo;s win. But in contrast, the Dalit candidate in Kadi received no meaningful support and had to take loans of up to Rs 10 lakh to fund the campaign,&rdquo; he said.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He went on to highlight that while senior leaders were visibly active in Visavadar, there was no similar presence in Kadi. &ldquo;While Kadi was ignored, all the big leaders turned up in Visavadar. The candidate in Kadi was left to fend for himself. This is not the party I had joined,&rdquo; he remarked.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Makwana had reportedly been distancing himself from party activities for some time before making his resignation public. Although he has chosen to stay within the party for now, his decision to step down from all key roles and his strong words have exposed internal rifts in the Gujarat unit of AAP, even as the party seeks to consolidate its position in the state.</span></div>

Botad MLA Umesh Makwana steps down from top AAP roles, citing bias and drift from core values.

Gujarat MLA Quits Key AAP Posts Over Ideological Rift

Botad MLA Umesh Makwana steps down from top AAP roles, citing bias and drift from core values.

June 26, 2025 | 19:08 IST