The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday suspended its Botad MLA, Umesh Makwana, for a period of five years, citing activities deemed detrimental to both the organisation and the public interest. The disciplinary action followed his resignation from his roles as party whip and national joint secretary, and allegations of caste-based prejudice within the party.
Makwana, who has served as the MLA from Botad since December 2022, declared at a press briefing that he was stepping down from his organisational responsibilities but would continue functioning as a party worker.&nbsp;
He also stated that a decision on resigning from the legislative assembly would be taken after consulting his constituents. &ldquo;I will continue to work as a worker of AAP. I will decide on whether to resign as MLA after consulting the people,&rdquo; he said.
Raising concerns about internal dynamics in AAP, Makwana said backward community leaders were frequently sidelined outside of election periods. &ldquo;Leaders from backward communities are often used only during elections. All parties have failed to address the issues of backward communities,&rdquo; he remarked.&nbsp;
He also accused AAP of neglecting its candidate in the Kadi Assembly constituency, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste, while directing full support to its campaign in Visavadar. &ldquo;Where were the senior leaders in Kadi?&rdquo; he asked, highlighting that the Dalit candidate had borrowed Rs 10 lakh to contest and was now struggling alone.
The Gujarat AAP president, Isudan Gadhvi, responded swiftly by announcing Makwana's expulsion from the party through a statement on X (formerly Twitter). &ldquo;Umesh Makwana is suspended from the party for five years for engaging in anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities,&rdquo; Gadhvi stated.
Further elaborating on the matter, Gadhvi explained in a video message that repeated grievances had been lodged by residents of Botad regarding Makwana&rsquo;s inaccessibility and allegations of misconduct.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We had warned him several times to stay in his area and address the concerns of the people. Despite this, he continued with activities that harmed both the public and the party,&rdquo; Gadhvi said.
Gadhvi also suggested a political conspiracy, asserting that Makwana had aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to damage AAP from within. &ldquo;It is now evident that the BJP has taken Umesh Makwana on board to damage the Aam Aadmi Party. But this is a serious mistake by the BJP,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
Citing recent political events, Gadhvi recalled how the AAP reclaimed the Visavadar seat in a bypoll after a resignation forced by BJP. &ldquo;After BJP forced a resignation in Visavadar, we reclaimed the seat, which has left them rattled,&rdquo; he added.
He claimed the BJP had tried to signal connections with other AAP leaders but was unsuccessful in weakening the party&rsquo;s public support. &ldquo;Even after deploying cabinet ministers during the Visavadar campaign, the BJP lost badly. The same happened in recent Sarpanch elections too,&rdquo; he said.
Issuing a challenge to both Makwana and the BJP, Gadhvi said, &ldquo;Resign from the MLA post and try winning again. If BJP thinks they can defeat AAP, make Makwana resign and fight a re-election from Botad. Let&rsquo;s see who wins.&rdquo;
Gadhvi noted that the party had issued multiple notices to Makwana, warning him to remain active in his constituency. &ldquo;We never tolerate corruption,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Despite our repeated attempts to make him change his behaviour, Makwana continued to act against party principles. BJP tried to exploit this to harm us, but today, we have taken a strong decision to suspend Umesh Makwana for five years.&rdquo;
Makwana acknowledged that he had stepped down from national responsibilities and mentioned plans to seek guidance from community leaders before deciding his political path forward. He said he is exploring whether to remain in the party, run independently, or establish a new platform.
Makwana, known for his background in social work and hailing from the Koli community, was elected in 2022 after defeating BJP&rsquo;s Ghanshyam Virani and Congress&rsquo;s Manhar Patel in Botad. Though unsuccessful in his recent bid for a Lok Sabha seat from Bhavnagar, he has remained a notable figure in Gujarat&rsquo;s political landscape.
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(Left) Isudan Gadhvi and Umesh Makwana (Right)

Botad MLA Umesh Makwana suspended by AAP amid claims of caste bias and anti-party activity.

Umesh Makwana Suspended by AAP for Five Years

Botad MLA Umesh Makwana suspended by AAP amid claims of caste bias and anti-party activity.

June 26, 2025 | 20:28 IST