AAP's Gujarat win marred by OBC row: Gopal Italia triumphs, Botad MLA quits party

Italia triumphs in Visavadar, but Botad MLA exits party over OBC neglect

AAP scored a morale-boosting win in the Visavadar by-poll with Gopal Italia's emphatic victory, only to suffer a jolt days later as Botad MLA Umesh Makwana quit all party posts citing OBC neglect. Makwana was later expelled. Despite national leaders backing Italia's campaign, AAP continues to struggle for cohesion in Gujarat.

The contrasting developments have exposed the party's internal weaknesses even as it tries to expand in BJP-dominated Gujarat. Party sources admitted that while Italia's win was celebrated, Makwana's exit underlined simmering discontent among OBC cadres. The leadership's focus on centralised decision-making has drawn criticism from state leaders who feel marginalised. With BJP keeping up pressure and Congress gradually recovering ground, AAP's space in Gujarat politics remains fragile and highly contingent on how it resolves its internal churn.