AHMEDABAD: Days after AAP’s Gopal Italia clinched victory in the Gujarat bypolls, the party was rocked by internal discord as Botad MLA Umesh Makwana was expelled for five years on Thursday. The action came hours after Makwana resigned from all party posts in a letter to Arvind Kejriwal, saying he would remain a dedicated worker of the party.Gujarat AAP chief Isudan Gadhvi announced the expulsion, reflecting rising tensions in the state unit. In his parting remarks, Makwana hit out at the leadership, alleging he was abandoned during the campaign and that a Dalit candidate in the Kadi Assembly was left alone in the field, indirectly targeting the handling of Italia’s poll run.AAP leader Umesh Makwana told reporters in Gandhinagar on Thursday, “I will decide on resigning as MLA only after consulting the people.””Leaders from backward communities are being used only for elections, and every party has failed to raise their real issues. Casteist mindsets are growing in all parties,” he alleged.Makwana, who has served in the national structure of both Dandak and AAP, said he has stepped down as AAP’s national joint secretary but will continue as a grassroots worker.”The entire party rallied behind Gopal Italia, but the Dalit candidate from Kadi was left to fight alone,” he added.”I will take the final call on resigning as AAP MLA only after consulting the public. If I resign, I will soon decide whether to contest as an independent or launch a new party,” Umesh Makwana said, hinting at possible political realignment.
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