Ahmedabad, June 26 (IANS) Botad MLA Umesh Makwana has announced his resignation from all positions within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat, accusing the party of discrimination against members of the OBCs. However, he clarified that he is not resigning from his MLA seat.

Makwana submitted his resignation from the posts of AAP’s Gujarat Assembly Whip as well as the party’s National Joint Secretary, stating that his decision was based on long-standing internal bias within the party’s structure.

“The Aam Aadmi Party, like the BJP and Congress, has shown step-motherly treatment to the people of the Backward Classes,” Makwana said in a statement.

“All political parties, without exception, have been unfair to OBC communities,” he added.

Makwana, who has been one of AAP’s more prominent OBC faces in Gujarat, claimed that despite repeated attempts to raise concerns over representation and internal equity, his voice was ignored.

On this, AAP’s Isudan Gadhvi posted, “Umesh Makwana is suspended from the party for five years for anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities.”

Makwana, a B.Ed from Bhavnagar University, is a social worker and philanthropist, known locally for establishing primary and secondary schools.

He is also known for distributing over 600,000 food packets during the COVID‑19 lockdown along with other AAP MLAs under the ‘Manavta Seva Rath’ initiative.

Belonging to the Koli community, he runs a construction and general trading business, and declared assets worth around Rs 85 lakh with liabilities of Rs 28 lakh in his 2022 election affidavit.

High on civic engagement, his legislative record shows nearly 97 per cent attendance and 24 Assembly debates, far above state averages.

Political observers believe this move could trigger tensions within AAP’s Gujarat unit, which is still building its grassroots presence in the state.

Makwana’s exit from organisational roles is being seen as a blow to the party’s efforts to consolidate OBC support ahead of future electoral battles.

Makwana’s continued position as a sitting MLA may indicate his intention to either remain as an Independent or align with another party in the near future.

Meanwhile, the AAP delivered a strong electoral performance by retaining the Visavadar Assembly seat in Gujarat’s bypolls held on June 19, with senior leader Gopal Italia defeating the BJP’s Kirit Patel by a margin of 17,554 votes (75,942 to 58,388).

–IANS

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