Political activity in Gujarat intensified when Umesh Makwana, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Botad, resigned from all party positions. He stated that OBC leaders are only used for electoral gains, but are sidelined once the elections are over. He has now announced that he will convene a meeting with his supporters and OBC leaders in Botad to deliberate on his future strategy. Only after this meeting will he decide whether to resign from his MLA post as well.
Direct Attack on Political Parties
After resigning, Makwana attacked not only the AAP, but also the BJP and Congress. He said that the OBC community, including the Koli community, has the largest population in Gujarat, yet despite three decades in power, the BJP has neither made any OBC leader the Chief Minister nor the state president. He also accused the Congress of ignoring the issues of the OBC community. He said that if the parties cannot follow the path shown by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, then just putting up his pictures will not achieve anything.
Suspended by the Party
Within hours of Makwana's sharp remarks and resignation, the Aam Aadmi Party suspended him on charges of "anti-party activities." This move came to light after the AAP recently won the by-election on the Visavadar seat. However, the party suffered a defeat on the Kadi seat, where its candidate finished third.
In the 2022 assembly elections, AAP won five seats, including Makwana's. Now, after his resignation and suspension, internal strife within the party has once again come to the fore. There is intense discussion in political circles about Makwana's next political move – will he join another party or will he create a new political platform?
