In a development that could cause ripples in the Aam Aadmi Party, senior leader Ashutosh announced on Wednesday that he was resigning from the outfit, citing a “very, very personal reason.”
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, Ashutosh wrote, “Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout.”
Ashutosh has been considered to be among the most senior members to join the AAP after its founding, leaving his career as a journalist. In addition to being a party spokesperson, Ashutosh had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Chandni Chowk.
Ashutosh, who continued writing columns for major news organisations, has, in recent months, written appreciatively of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the wider opposition's attempt to forge unity against the BJP. Hours before he announced his decision to quit AAP, Ashutosh had sarcastically tweeted that BJP members should adopt cows on Independence Day.
Ashutosh is the latest in a line of AAP leaders to leave the party since it was founded in 2013. While Shazia Ilmi quit and joined the BJP, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were expelled for questioning party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Another former minister in the AAP government, Kapil Mishra, was suspended after he accused Kejriwal of corruption. Mishra is perceived to be close to the BJP.
Some media reports indicate Ashutosh was upset at Kejriwal's choice of candidates for the Rajya Sabha.