7 MLAs dropped by AAP for Delhi polls quit party | Latest News Delhi

Seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators, who were overlooked for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections and were replaced by other candidates for the polls, resigned from the party on Friday.

The AAP is contesting all 70 seats in the Capital, which is set to go to polls on February 5, but dropped 20 incumbent MLAs, fielding turncoats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in some constituencies.

Commenting on Friday’s development the party stated that there was “dissatisfaction” after some leaders were denied tickets, and claimed that the BJP “lured” them away.

The seven MLAs who quit the AAP are: Rohit Mehraulia from Trilokpura, Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), Bhavna Gaur (Palam), Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar) and BS Joon (Bijwasan).

HT spoke to all seven — some of the leaders said they had lost faith in the party by citing alleged scams and corruption, while others questioned the import of “tainted faces” from other parties. Sharma said, “Over the years, the party has ignored the principles of honesty, and is now standing with corruption.”

It was not immediately clear whether any of the seven would join the BJP, Congress, or some other party, or if they would quit active politics altogether. “I have not yet decided the next move. I will take a call soon,” said Lal.

To be sure, Yadav from Mehrauli was initially given a ticket to contest the polls, but he later opted out, stating he will not contest the election unless he is acquitted in a 2016 desecration case in Punjab.

The AAP, meanwhile, alleged that the BJP has been “constantly approaching” its MLAs.

“This time, some MLAs were denied tickets, leading to dissatisfaction. For the past few weeks, BJP members have been constantly approaching AAP MLAs who didn’t get tickets this time, luring them with various offers—promising positions, power, and incentives,” the AAP said in a statement.

“Arvind Kejriwal’s true soldiers will stand with AAP till their last breath because they didn’t enter politics for positions like MLA, councillor, or minister—they joined to serve the nation, no matter what role they are given,” the party added.

Separately, Timarpur MLA Dilip Pandey — one of the 20 leaders who has been denied a ticket — said he received “multiple offers” to quit the AAP.

“I received offers from multiple parties, including the BJP and Congress, but when our commitment is to strengthen this party, to uplift the people of Delhi and the nation, the question of leaving does not arise,” he said.

BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, meanwhile, said the seven MLAs quit because the “ship of Aam Aadmi Party is sinking”.