GUWAHATI: Manoj Dhanowar, president of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Assam unit, announced on Friday, April 4 that he has stepped down from his post. In a separate move, the party’s state women’s wing president, Masuma Begum, not only resigned from her position but also quit the party altogether.
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These developments come as a blow to the AAP, which has been attempting to expand its footprint in Assam's rural regions, especially ahead of the panchayat elections.
Dhanowar posted his resignation letter on social media, which he had submitted to AAP's national general secretary (organisation), Sandeep Pathak. Citing "unavoidable circumstances" for his decision, Dhanowar thanked the party leadership for the opportunity and stated he would continue to serve as a volunteer.
AAP state secretary Amlanjyoti Hatibaruah expressed surprise over the timing of the announcement. “It’s strange that he made the letter public after four months. Perhaps it wasn’t accepted,” he remarked.
Due to Dhanowar's prolonged inactivity, the party had already appointed Bhaben Choudhury, AAP’s national joint secretary, as the acting state president last month. “He had been inactive for over two months, so we had to make a change,” Hatibaruah explained. Interestingly, Choudhury himself had previously been removed from the state president role in September last year.
Meanwhile, Masuma Begum submitted her resignation shortly after addressing a press conference about the upcoming local body elections. In her letter, she wrote, “I am formally resigning from the position of State President, Women Wing, AAP Assam, and from the party's primary membership.”
Begum was the sole AAP candidate to secure a seat in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation elections in 2022. Assam’s panchayat polls are scheduled for May 2 and May 7.
