8 AAP MLAs quit days before Delhi election: Who are yhey?

Eight Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators resigned on Friday after being denied tickets for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. These MLAs are Girish Soni (Madipur), Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), Bhavna Gaur (Palam), Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar), and BS Joon (Bijwasan).

The resignations come just days before Delhi’s elections, which will take place on February 5, with votes counted on February 8. AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, is contesting all 70 seats, but the party dropped 20 incumbents from its candidate list. Instead, AAP chose turncoats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in some areas.

The eight MLAs voiced dissatisfaction with the party’s decisions. Girish Soni, the Madipur MLA, expressed disappointment with AAP’s internal issues, describing it as a “subject of criticism.” He questioned whether the party still represented common people and announced his resignation via X.

Rohit Kumar Mehraulia, the Trilokpuri MLA, cited unfulfilled promises to the Dalit/Valmiki community. He accused AAP of exploiting his community for political gain without addressing key issues like employment. Mehraulia had initially supported AAP’s rise in the capital.

Madan Lal, the MLA from Kasturba Nagar, resigned after being denied a ticket. He revealed that his loss of faith in AAP and Arvind Kejriwal led to his decision. Similarly, BS Joon, the Bijwasan MLA, quit, citing significant deviation from the party’s founding values. Joon expressed frustration with AAP’s increasing centralization, opacity, and lack of internal democracy.

Naresh Yadav, the Mehrauli MLA, resigned due to corruption within the party. He recalled AAP’s origins in the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare and expressed disillusionment with the party’s current state. Yadav joined AAP to fight corruption but felt that the party had strayed from its founding ideals.

This wave of resignations marks a significant shift in the political landscape ahead of the Delhi elections. The exodus of these MLAs could impact AAP’s voter base and the party’s image as a party of transparency and reform.