AAP’s minority wing chief quits after Congress leaders join party: ‘Growing differences’
While Zubair, a district president of Congress, is considered to have “a deep-rooted influence” in the Babarpur area, his wife Shagufta is the sitting councillor from Ward 227. Zubair's father has served as an MLA from Seelampur for five consecutive terms.
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Zubair Ahmed and Shagufta with Arvind Kejriwal. ANIIn a move that appeared to have paved the way for his exit from AAP ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Seelampur MLA Abdul Rehman on Tuesday announced his resignation as chief of the party’s minority wing.
Rehman chose to go public about his decision to step down in a post on X (formerly Twitter) minutes after AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal inducted Delhi Congress stalwart Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed’s son Zubair Ahmed and daughter-in-law Shagufta into his party’s fold.
While Zubair, a district president of Congress, is considered to have “a deep-rooted influence” in the Babarpur area, his wife Shagufta is the sitting councillor from Ward 227. Zubair’s father has served as an MLA from Seelampur for five consecutive terms.
Rehman, following reports of the couple’s induction, posted on X: “I am resigning from the post of President of Minority Cell of Aam Aadmi Party. I have taken this decision in view of the growing differences in my views. I hope that the party and my supporters will understand my step.”
Even as sources in the AAP said that the decision to induct the couple was in line with the party’s likely decision to replace Rehman with Zubair, the former termed his decision a personal one.
“Two of my daughters are getting married in December. I am solely responsible for the arrangements, so there is added pressure… Koi kaleh nahin hai, AAP ka parivar badh raha hai (There is no disagreement, the AAP’s family is getting bigger…),” Rehman told The Indian Express.
“Recently, I had told (AAP general secretary, organisation) Sandeep (Pathak) bhai that I was unable to do justice to my post (of AAP minority wing chief) due to my responsibilities, that is why I am stepping down,” he added.
Shagufta, meanwhile, attributed the couple’s decision to join AAP to the unsuccessful talks related to a potential AAP-Congress alliance for the Delhi polls.
“The AAP wanted a tie-up with the Congress, but the Congress leadership did not want it. Kejriwal has been doing good developmental work in our constituency and we do not want a BJP candidate to win in the elections, which is why we have switched parties,” Shagufta, the Chauhan Banger councillor, said.
“Our constituency has also been facing communal issues – especially street vendors are being threatened by BJP. Working with the AAP will increase our chances of winning… While my husband is going to contest from our constituency, my father-in-law, a former MLA from the Congress, plans to stay on in the party,” she added.
With Shagufta joining AAP, the party now holds a majority in the 249-seat MCD with 126 seats, while BJP has 114 and Congress is left with eight seats. On September 25, the AAP had briefly lost its majority when three councillors had shifted to the BJP, pushing the BJP’s and the Congress’ numbers above AAP’s.
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