Congress leaders Neeraj Basoya, Nasseb Singh quit party over 'humiliating alliance' with AAP
The development comes days after Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely's resignation from his post, citing similar issues and internal organizational challenges within the Congress party.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: In yet another setback to the Congress, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh, who were observers for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, tendered their resignations from the primary membership of the party on Wednesday over an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The resignation of two former MLAs came days after Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from his post over the same reason. In separate letters addressed to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, the two leaders attributed their resignation to the Congress' alliance with the AAP.
Neeraj Basoya on resignation
Neeraj Basoya, the party observer for the West Delhi Parliamentary Seat, said that the alliance of the party with the AAP is bringing great dis-repute and embarrassment to Delhi Congress workers on a daily basis. "I am addressing the present communication to you, being aggrieved by the alliance of the party with the AAP in Delhi. I have humbly submitted that the said alliance is bringing a great dis-repute and embarrassment to Delhi Congress workers on a daily basis. And I believe, that as a self-respecting party leader, I cannot be associated with the party anymore," he said.
Basoya further said that the AAP has been associated with numerous scams in the past 7 years and the top three leaders of the AAP-Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia are already in jail. "Our continued alliance, with AAP is extremely humiliating given that the AAP has been associated with numerous scams in the past 7 years. The top 3 Leaders of the AAP-Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia are already in jail. AAP has been accused of serious corruption charges on various issues such as the Delhi Liquor Scam and Delhi Jal Board Scam," he said.
"I hereby tender my resignation from all Party Posts and the primary membership of the Party. I thank Smt Sonia Gandhi Ji for giving a common man like me, all the opportunities in the last 30 years," said Basoya in the letter dated May 1.
Nasseb Singh letter to Kharge
In a letter addressed to the Congress chief, Nasseb Singh party observer for North West Delhi has expressed his anguish over the appointment of Davinder Yadav as the Delhi Congress chief. "Davinder Yadav has up till now run a campaign in Punjab solely based on attacking Arvind Kejriwal's false agenda and today, he in Delhi will be mandated to praise and support AAP and its CM Arvind Kejriwal," he said.
"Today You have appointed Davinder Yadav as DPCC Chief. He as AICC (In-Charge Punjab) has run a campaign in Punjab solely based on attacking Arvind Keiriwal's false agenda and today, in Delhi he will be mandated to praise and support AAP and its Chief Arvind Kejriwal. Being deeply pained and humiliated at the recent developments in the Party, I resign from the party," he added.
AAP-Congress alliance in Delhi
Notably, the Congress-AAP are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in alliance. The AAP will be contesting on four seats while three have been allotted to Congress. The four seats on which AAP will contest the Lok Sabha polls are New Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi, and East Delhi. The Congress will contest on North West Delhi, North East Delhi and Chandni Chowk seats.
During each of the three successive terms of the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress governments in the Capital between 1998 and 2013, Lovely was one of the key figures in the cabinet. Later in 2015, Lovely was asked to resign from his position as the party’s Delhi president, which led to his departure from the Congress. He briefly joined the BJP for nine months before returning to the Congress.