Uttarakhand AAP’s Chief Ministerial face Col. Ajay Kothiyal resigns from membership of the party

Aam Aadmi Party leader Col. Ajay Kothiyal, who was the Chief Ministerial candidate for the party from Uttarakhand, has resigned from the party membership on Wednesday. He announced his resignation publicly on Twitter stating that he is doing so keeping in mind the sentiments of ex-servicemen, elderly, women, youth and intellectuals.

त्यागपत्र

पूर्व सैनिकों, पूर्व अर्धसैनिकों, बुजुर्गों, महिलाओं, युवाओं तथा बुद्धिजीवियों की भावनाओं को ध्यान में रखते हुए, मैं आज दिनांक 18 मई 2022 को, आम आदमी पार्टी की सदस्यता से अपना त्यागपत्र दे रहा हूँ । pic.twitter.com/5IMeVRu4sb

— Col Ajay Kothiyal, KC, SC, VSM (R.) (@ColAjayKothiyal) May 18, 2022

Posting his resignation letter from AAP on Twitter, Col. Kothiyal wrote, “Keeping in mind the sentiments of ex-servicemen, ex-paramilitary, elderly, women, youth and intellectuals, I am giving my resignation from the membership of Aam Aadmi Party.” It was last year in April 2021, that Col. Ajay Kothiyal joined the Aam Aadmi Party in the wake of the upcoming 2022 Assembly elections in the state.

Keeping in mind the fact that the state of Uttarakhand has a large ex-servicemen population, the Aam Aadmi Party had made Kothiyal its CM face. The party had banked on the military service credentials of Kothiyal apart from the promise of providing 300 units of free electricity if it comes to power. It should be noted that Kothiyal had an illustrious career in the military with a host of awards including the Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Vishishta Seva Medal, and Parakram Padak to his name.

While AAP failed to win a single seat in the elections, a barrage of revolting leaders from the party including Sagar Bhandari blamed Kothiyal for AAP’s defeat in the state. “Elections were fought in the name of Colonel Kothiyal in the state. Every banner had his photo. So he should also take responsibility for the defeat. But till now he has neither done this in front of the media nor to any party workers,” AAP leader Bhandari had commented after the party’s defeat.

After facing internal opposition within the party and its lacklustre electoral performance, Col. Ajay Kothiyal has decided to part ways with AAP while tendering his resignation from the party’s primary membership.