PANAJI: In what can be considered a rebellion of sorts in the Goa unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), several prominent office-bearers have resigned from the membership of the party, amid major differences with the Delhi-based party high-command.
According to media reports, a group of senior leaders, including its ex-state unit president Amit Palekar, acting chief Shrikrishna Parab and three other office-bearers, resigned from the primary membership of the party on Monday.
Palekar who was the face of the party in Goa was sidelined and relieved of his duties by the party, in a terse communique, with immediate effect as State President last week, after the results of the ZP polls in the state were out.
Two Goa AAP vice-presidents Chetan Kamat and Sarfaraz told news agency PTI that they have resigned from the party, along with Palekar and Parab. While not officially confirmed, several other local AAP party leaders have also quit, sources claimed.
Shrikrishna Parab, the general secretary (organisation), till Palekar’s removal, from office was appointed the acting Goa head. A week later, both of them have resigned from the party along with youth wing president Rohan Naik. The trio announced their resignations at a press conference on Monday and their decision comes days after the Arvind Kejriwal-led party fared poorly in the Goa Zilla Panchayat (ZPs) elections in the coastal state.
While the real reasons are not known, sources claimed the party high-command expected the local leadership to spend huge amounts to win the polls, which they were unwilling to do. AAP workers said they were not provided any funds from Delhi and were expected to spend from their own pockets.
The AAP Goa was able to win only one of the 42 seats contested by the party in the elections held on 20th December.
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