Setback for Aam Aadmi Party as six office-bearers quit

Amit Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 14

While AAP candidate is cementing his base for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Chandigarh, the party got a setback with six AAP officer-bearers, who were working in the city since 2014, have resigned from the party.

The office-bearers, including Satbir Singh Walia, who is spokesperson for Punjab and also a member of the campaign committee in Chandigarh, NS Dhaliwal, general secretary and member of the campaign committee, Satish Machal, general secretary, Kalana Dash, joint secretary, and Roselyn Kaur and Ravi Mani, both executive members, sent their resignations to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

Disgruntled AAP members, who have resigned from the primary membership of the party as well as from all posts and positions, have blamed the AAP leadership’s style of working and humiliation by the party candidate and the party convenor in Chandigarh as the reason behind their move.

Satish Machal, who holds the post of AAP general secretary in Chandigarh, said he had been associated with the party since last Lok Sabha elections when Gulkirat Kaur Panag had contested the elections.

“I have worked hard for the party in the past five years and I am one of the 25 members of the executive committee in Chandigarh. However, when the campaign committee was constituted I was not made a part of it,” Satish said.

While AAP candidate Harmohan Dhawan was not available for comments, AAP convenor Prem Garg said they respect all party officer-bearers and volunteers. They could never think of insulting them.

“They all are valuable assets of the party and I can only suggest them to reconsider their decision,” Garg said.

With nearly two months left for the city to go to the polls, resignations can lead to troubles for the AAP candidate.

Blame leadership’s style of working 

Disgruntled AAP members, who have resigned from the primary membership of the party as well as from all posts and positions, have blamed the AAP leadership’s style of working and humiliation by the party candidate and the party convenor in Chandigarh as the reason behind their move.