AAP Blow: Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh Resigns from Punjab Assembly
Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resigns from the Punjab Assembly, marking the third AAP MLA to leave the party.
In a significant political shake-up ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resignation from the Punjab Legislative Assembly has sent ripples through the state's political landscape. This move brings the total count of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs departing from the party to three, signaling a period of turbulence for the ruling party.
A Bold Exit and a Call for Change
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who had been suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party on June 29, 2025, officially announced his resignation on Monday. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) to communicate with his constituents in Amritsar, Singh expressed deep gratitude for the love and respect he received, stating he would remain indebted to the people "until his last breath."
However, his departure was not without a sharp critique of the current state of affairs. Singh called for a collective movement to move past the "politics of lanes and ribbon-cutting." He painted a grim picture of a Punjab currently "trapped by drugs, extortion, gangsterism and corruption," urging a unified effort to restore the state to its former progressive status.
Claims of Legislative Success
Reflecting on his tenure, Singh claimed to have achieved 90 per cent of his targets as a legislator. He distinguished his role from those of a councillor, mayor, or Member of Parliament, asserting that he had fulfilled the core duties required of an MLA. He further noted that detailed records of the work he completed in various areas are available on his Facebook page and in local newspapers.
Singh highlighted the dismantling of the "mai-baap" (patronage) culture in politics as his most significant achievement, emphasizing that he viewed the general public as his primary source of inspiration rather than acting as a superior benefactor.
Voice of Amritsar in the Assembly
The former MLA asserted that he was a bold advocate for the people of Amritsar within the Punjab Legislative Assembly. He listed several key issues he championed, including:
- Water and sewage infrastructure.
- Concerns regarding the Circuit House and Company Bagh.
- The issue of dirty drains.
- Matters pertaining to Guru Nanak Dev University, Government Medical College, and Saroop Rani College.
- The Bargari sacrilege case.
Singh claimed a first in the assembly's history by raising hyper-local issues, specifically naming individual lanes and neighborhoods to ensure grassroots problems were addressed at the state level.
Looking Ahead: 'Punjab First'
Moving forward, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh stated that his objective is to collaborate with the public to formulate a strategy for "clean politics and transparent administration." He declared that his sole driving force is "Punjab First," insisting that he has no personal interests beyond the welfare of the state.
The Growing Exodus from AAP
Singh is not the only legislator to break away. The Aam Aadmi Party had previously suspended two other MLAs, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, citing alleged anti-party activities. Following their suspensions, both leaders resigned from the party.
In response to these departures, AAP has indicated that it will petition the Assembly Speaker to disqualify the legislative membership of the departing members.
This internal friction comes as a point of interest given the 2022 Assembly poll results, where AAP secured a landslide victory with 92 out of 117 seats, while the Congress party trailed with 18 seats.