AAP faces trouble in state; Anjali Damania resigns, withdraws

Anjali Damania, one of the prominent leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state first tendered her resignation and withdrew it later on Thursday evening. She had resigned along with Preeti Sharma Menon, the party spokesperson. While Damania was the convener of the party, Sharma was the secretary. Sharma is yet to withdraw her resignation.

A party member confirmed they were able to "convince Damania" to withdraw her resignation and hoped they would be able to do so with Sharma, too.

The two resignations and the withdrawal of one of them come a day before the party's national executive committee meeting in Delhi on Friday.

Talking to dna, Mayank Gandhi, another AAP leader, said, "Both have not quit the party, but only their respective posts. There was some miscommunication. They quit because of organisational issues." Gandhi, who was blamed by some section of the media as the reason for the resignations, said "it was news to him".

Criticisms against the two by party volunteers on organisational work were said to be one reason. "There would be minor issues like the two not being able to give some details to volunteers in district units. They would level allegations on them. With many new districts, these allegations were building up. Both of them, being very sensitive, could not take these allegations. They would, however, be part of the party. We have asked Damania to refocus on corruption and other issues she has taken up," added Gandhi. Some volunteers said the resignations surprised them.

Earlier, too, the party had faced problems from volunteers that made relations with leaders turbulent. Preeti Sharma Menon was rumoured to have quit from the party due to differences with her colleagues. Sharma later confirmed it was the behaviour of some volunteers that led to the problems and not differences with colleagues. Some said it was the formation of new committees following many new faces coming in that led to the resignations.

The national executive meet to be held in Delhi is expected to undertake a lot of "restructuring and introspection". "At the meeting, several changes in the party's decision-making bodies are expected. A grievance redressal mechanism to tackle complaints of volunteers is also expected to find a place," AAP sources told dna.

"Other issues would be AAP's Lok Sabha election performance, steps to strengthen party base, upcoming elections etc," said AAP sources.