AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Jaihind resign as PAC members

NEW DELHI: In another blow to the Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP), senior leader Yogendra Yadav has resigned from the political affairs committee ( PAC), the highest decision-making unit of the party, and as unit incharge from Haryana. While Yadav cited the party’s defeat in Haryana during the Lok Sabha polls as the reason for his resignation, another party leader Naveen Jaihind said the real reason was differences between the two. Jaihind, who was the party’s candidate from Hisar, also resigned from the national executive, a coordinating unit of the party. Both the leaders sent their resignation to Arvind Kejriwal.

Party leader Sanjay Singh confirmed the developments but said both Yadav and Jaihind are still in the party. The party has not accepted their resignations. “We will request both the leaders to talk out the differences.”

A final call will be taken during a three-day national executive meeting from June 6. Soon after the word of his resignation spread, Yadav tweeted, “Rumours about my quitting AAP are baseless. I am very much with the party and committed to working for it harder than ever.” Meanwhile, Jaihind said, “I was just trying to convey the message of the volunteers to the party leadership. But Yogendraji has problems with me. If Yogendraji has so many problems with me, I’ll work as volunteer and resign from the national executive.” There have been reports about dissent creeping into the party at senior and volunteer levels. Recently, signs of dissent and disintegration in the party have become evident. Two leaders, Shazia Ilmi and Captain GR Gopinath of Air Deccan, resigned from all party positions a few days ago, citing “lack of inner party democracy” and “crony clique” as the reason.