The former journalist is the second key member to leave the Arvind Kejriwal-led party in just over a week.
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashish Khetan announced his resignation from the party in a Facebook post Wednesday evening, the second key member to quit in eight days.
“Yes, I’ve resigned from the party. I sent my resignation to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on 15 August,” Khetan told ThePrint.
He said he had informed the party leadership about his decision on many occasions over the past one year but decided to keept it private as the AAP was battling many crises.
The former journalist, who rose to fame while working for Tehelka, joined the party in 2014 and contested that year’s Lok Sabha election from the New Delhi constituency. He lost to the BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi.
In his Facebook post, Khetan denied claims that he was using the resignation threat to secure a second nomination from the seat in next year’s election.
“I would also like to quell the unfortunate rumours that my decision is linked to any desire for any seat. The party had graciously asked me to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but I politely turned it down,” he wrote.
However, a party source told ThePrint that he was unhappy about the fact that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal was non-committal about his nomination from New Delhi next year.
His resignation comes days after senior member Ashutosh quit the party. However, unlike the rush to change Ashutosh’s mind, the party seemed to be making no such efforts to pacify Khetan.
Also read: Aam Aadmi Party leaders reach out, but Ashutosh doesn’t want to return to party
In April, Khetan had resigned as vice-president of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission, an advisory body for the Delhi government, saying he wanted to focus on his legal practice.
There’s been a wave of discontent in the party since the January 2018 Rajya Sabha polls, according to a party source, when many senior leaders hoping for a nomination were overlooked.
The party nominated founder-member Sanjay Singh, chartered accountant N.D. Gupta and businessman Sushil Gupta. While N.D. Gupta had been looking after the party account for two years, Sushil Gupta had joined the AAP on the eve of Rajya Sabha election.
Also read: Some expelled, some resigned: Ashutosh joins a long list of leaders who’ve left AAP