Who are 8 AAP MLAs who resigned just days before Delhi Elections?

New Delhi: In a significant political shake-up, eight legislators from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced their resignation from the party on Friday. This decision comes as the party prepares for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, where it aims to contest all 70 seats in the national capital.

The Resigned Legislators

The eight MLAs who have stepped down are:

• Girish Soni (Madipur)
• Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpura)
• Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar)
• Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri)
• Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli)
• Bhavna Gaur (Palam)
• Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar)
• BS Joon (Bijwasan)

Context of the Resignations

The resignations come in the wake of AAP's decision to drop 20 incumbent MLAs from its candidate list for the 2025 elections. Instead, the party has opted to field candidates who previously belonged to rival parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress in various constituencies.

Statements from Resigning MLAs

Each MLA expressed their reasons for leaving, highlighting dissatisfaction with the party's direction:

• Girish Soni criticized ongoing activities within AAP, stating they have become a "subject of criticism" and questioned the party's integrity.
• Rohit Kumar Mehraulia cited "unfulfilled promises" regarding support for the Dalit/Valmiki community and accused AAP of exploiting his community for political gains.
• Madan Lal expressed a loss of faith in both AAP and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, after being denied a ticket.
• Bhavna Gaur stated she has "lost faith" in Kejriwal and the party, sharing her resignation letter on social media.
• Rajesh Rishi lamented that AAP has strayed from its foundational principles of transparency and accountability.
• Pawan Kumar Sharma noted a deviation from the honest ideology upon which AAP was founded, expressing sadness over the party's current state.
• BS Joon pointed out significant centralization and lack of internal democracy within AAP.
• Naresh Yadav highlighted corruption as his primary reason for resignation, recalling AAP's original mission to eliminate corruption in Delhi.

Upcoming Elections

The Delhi assembly elections are scheduled for February 5, with vote counting set for February 8. As AAP prepares to contest all available seats, these resignations could impact its electoral strategy and voter perception.