AAP MLA Umesh Makwana resigns as whip, party suspends him for five years

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that was riding high after winning the Visavadar Assembly seat in the bypoll, faced a setback on Thursday after the party's Botad MLA Umesh Makwana resigned as whip, citing caste-based discrimination in the party.

Makwana told media persons on Thursday morning, “I will continue to work as a worker of AAP. I will decide on whether to resign as MLA after consulting the people.”

Soon after Makwana's statement, the state AAP president Isudan Gadhvi issued a statement suspending Makwana for five years. "Umesh Makwana is suspended from the party for five years for engaging in anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities," wrote Gadhvi on X.

Expressing displeasure over AAP’s defeat in Kadi, Makwana said, “All the senior leaders were present in Visavadar, but no one was present in Kadi."

“Where were the senior leaders in Kadi?” he asked. He also mentioned that a Dalit from Kadi had taken a loan of ₹10 lakh to contest the election and is now left to fend for himself.

Makwana has been serving as a Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from the Botad Assembly constituency for the Aam Aadmi Party since December 2022. He is a member of the Koli caste in Gujarat.