Gandhinagar- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), still basking in its bypoll triumph in Gujarat’s Vasavad, was jolted as Botad MLA and national joint secretary Umesh Makwana quit all party posts, accusing AAP of "failing backward communities" and "promoting casteist attitudes."
In a bombshell press conference, he revealed that no AAP leaders campaigned for the party’s Dalit candidate in Kheda, while top brass rallied aggressively for Vasavad winner Gopal Italia.
Makwana resigned as AAP’s national joint secretary and legislature party leader, mulling quitting as MLA after "public consultation."The MLA alleged: "AAP only works for privileged castes. Dalit leaders are sidelined."
The ex-ABVP leader had been boycotting AAP events for months, skipping even Kejriwal’s Vasavad campaign. His grievances:
"No backing for Dalits": Claims AAP ignored its Kheda candidate for being SC.
"Dominance of upper castes": Says OBC/SC voices suppressed in Gujarat AAP.
Makwana, a 22-year RSS-BJP veteran before joining AAP in 2022, has kept ties with the saffron camp. With AAP’s suspension, speculation mounts about his return to BJP.
AAP retaliated by suspending him for 5 years, calling his claims "baseless." AAP’s Vasavad victory glow is dimmed by Makwana’s revolt, exposing factionalism and caste tensions. With Kejriwal’s Delhi model under scrutiny in Gujarat, this crisis tests AAP’s social justice claims.
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