The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received a severe setback when former minister Yashpal Kundal and a member of the District Development Council (DDC) Taranjit Singh Tony resigned from the party.
After the former Education Minister of the erstwhile state of J&K Harsh Dev Singh and two-time MLA from Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia, Kundal, and Tony were the only two mass-based leaders left in the party. After their resignations, the J&K unit of AAP virtually became leaderless in the Union Territory.
Taranjit Singh Tony, DDC Suchetgarh and Chairman of AAP Jammu and Kashmir for Administrative Engagement & Minority Affairs, and Yash Pal Kundal, Chairman ST, SC OBC Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) J&K, and former minister today tendered their resignation from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Addressing a press conference at Press Club Jammu, Tony and Kundal said that they had initially joined the Aam Aadmi Party inspired by the commendable governance model implemented in Delhi and Punjab, alongside people-friendly policies. However, they expressed deep disappointment over the failure of organizational functionaries, including Prabharis and Seh Prabharis, to effectively engage with the people, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
"One glaring example of this disconnect is the prolonged closure of the AAP office in Jammu, which has spanned more than eight months," they lamented.
They underscored the lack of visible efforts by Prabharis and Seh Prabharis to establish a functional Party Head office in Jammu, leading to a breakdown in communication and outreach. Despite repeated attempts to address these concerns and seek support for AAP's activities, they conveyed his frustration at the lack of response from responsible individuals within the party hierarchy.
"The prolonged closure of our party office and the inability to foster meaningful engagement with the people have left me with no choice but to resign from the Aam Aadmi Party," they said and announced their resignations from the primary membership of AAP, a decision mirrored by Panches, Sarpanches, and senior functionaries of the party in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier Harsh Dev Singh resigned from AAP
A three-time MLA and former Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh in February this year announced his decision to quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to revive the Panthers Party, a regional political party in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh declared his intent to revive the Panthers Party, which was originally formed by Prof. Bhim Singh in 1982.
Harsh Dev Singh had joined AAP with much fanfare on May 8, 2022, in New Delhi in the presence of party leader Sanjay Singh. Singh is a well-known figure in the region, having previously served as a state government minister.
The Panthers Party, originally formed as a socialist and secular political party, has a long history of advocating for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Its revival is expected to provide a much-needed alternative to the mainstream political parties that currently dominate the region.
