In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ahead of Parliamentary polls due next year, party’s senior brass and popular face, Ashutosh, resigned from the party on Wednesday citing personal reason. A close party confidant, who is a former TV journalist, was allegedly miffed over being denied passage to the Upper House of Parliament, claim few insiders.
Also he was allegedly dismayed at the party's decision to appoint Pankaj Gupta as “prabhari” of Chandni Chowk and most likely the candidate from the same constituency in 2019 Parliamentary polls.Couple of hours after Ashutosh came out with his decision to leave the party on social media platform ~ twitter, party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal denied accepting it in his lifetime. In an “emotive” tweet Kejriwal said “How can we ever accept ur resignationij Na, is janam me to nahi”.
In a subsequent tweet, former journo requested media persons to leave him alone. “To media friends. Please respect my privacy. I won't be giving any bite of any kind. Please cooperate” he tweeted.
Ashutosh in his earlier tweet informed that he has requested the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) to accept his resignation and his association with the party was revolutionary.
“Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end.I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason.Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout.Thanks,” tweeted Ashutosh.The convenor of the AAP's Delhi unit, Gopal Rai, said Ashutosh was not “angry”, adding, “Everyone has the right to take personal decisions.”
The chief spokesperson of the AAP's Delhi unit, Saurabh Bhardwaj said that Ashutosh's resignation was not accepted and he was urged to reconsider his decision.
Ashutosh was the AAP candidate from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency in the 2014 lok Sabha polls and finished runner-up to BJP's Harsh Vardhan.For 2019, Pankaj Gupta, a party spokesperson, has been chosen as the 'prabhari' of Chandni Chowk and most likely will be the candidate as well.
Senior AAP functionary and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “We all will request Ashutosh to take his resignation back.”
He, however, added that his relationship with Ashutosh as a “true and dependable friend” will continue lifelong.
“His separation from the party is not less than a heart rendering incident for me,” Singh tweeted.
Ashutosh, who was a member of the top decision-making body of the AAP -- the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) -- was “indifferent and less active” towards the party matters of late, a senior party leader said. Sushil Gupta, one of the Rajya Sabha MPs who Ashutosh did not approve of, tweeted: “I have high regards and respect for Ashutoshji, his contribution in the victory of Delhi election and strengthening of AAP nationwide are unmatchable. I appeal him to rethink his decision.”
Reacting on Ashutosh's decision, Vijender Gupta, leader of opposition (lop) in Delhi assembly said, AAP is a party of a small coterie of yes-men to the Chief Minister of Delhi. In the past three and a half years, AAP government has been at loggerheads with every institution in the capital, which has left the people of Delhi devoid of sound governance, as expected of an elected government.”
“ The constant fights with lieutenant Governor and bureaucrats are only a means to deflect attention from their own failure to governance. In fact, the Chief Minister himself has been charge-sheeted in the physical assault case of a senior most bureaucrat in the capital,” Gupta said.