Gujarat AAP MLA Umesh Makwana alleges caste bias, resigns from party posts
suspended later for ‘anti-party’ activity
Gandhinagar: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Botad MLA Umesh Makwana resigned from all his party posts on Thursday, alleging caste discrimination within the party. Makwana, who served as AAP’s Whip in the Gujarat Assembly and was also the party’s national joint secretary, said he would continue as an AAP worker. However, just hours later, the party suspended him for five years, accusing him of engaging in “anti-party” and “anti-Gujarat” activities, reported Indian Express.
This came just after AAP’s Gopal Italia won the Visavadar Assembly by-election.
Speaking at a press conference in Gandhinagar, Makwana, who belongs to the Koli community (listed under OBC), claimed that AAP, like other major political parties such as BJP and Congress, only uses backward communities for votes but does not support them after elections. He alleged that leaders from upper castes are given more importance in AAP and that the party ignores backward communities when it comes to assigning major positions.
Makwana said, “Whether it is AAP, BJP or Congress, all use backward communities as vote banks. After elections, leaders from these communities are sidelined. The party does not raise its voice for backward communities. When it comes to giving key posts, preference is given to the swarna samaj (upper castes).”
He also said he had sent his resignation directly to AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal through WhatsApp and added, “I will continue working as an AAP worker.” On whether he would also resign from his MLA post, Makwana said he would first talk to the people of his constituency, Botad, before making any decision. “They trusted me with this position, and I will not do anything that betrays that trust,” he said.
Makwana denied that his resignation was related to Gopal Italia being possibly named party Whip. “I have not received any such message from the party,” he said.
He also accused the party of caste-based favouritism during recent by-elections. Referring to the Kadi and Visavadar seats, he said, “Our Kadi candidate, a Dalit, had to take a Rs 10 lakh loan to contest. He got no support. In contrast, Gopal Italia, a Patidar, had the full backing of the party. Crores were spent in Visavadar. This kind of discrimination is unacceptable.” Makwana added, “You keep Babasaheb’s photo, but if you don’t follow his ideals, you can’t do politics in his name.”
Following Makwana’s remarks , AAP’s Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi said that Makwana had been suspended from the party for five years. Gadhvi said they had received several complaints of corruption against Makwana from Botad and that he had been warned several times before. “The leadership has now taken a final decision,” he said.
Gadhvi also accused the BJP of trying to break AAP by poaching its leaders. He said, “If Makwana has the courage, he should resign as MLA and recontest. I challenge the BJP to give him a ticket and try to win Botad.”
Responding to Makwana’s accusations, AAP spokesperson Yogesh Jadvani said the party had given him many opportunities. “Within 15 days of joining AAP, he was made head of the OBC/SC/ST cell. He was later made a state spokesperson, then elected as MLA in 2022, became national joint secretary, and also the party’s Whip. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he was fielded from Bhavnagar. AAP gave Umeshbhai his political identity,” Jadvani said.
He also alleged that Makwana was not available to support the Koli community when they needed him, and that other AAP leaders, both upper and backward caste, had stepped in instead. “Now he is speaking in the language of the BJP,” Jadvani said.
On the allegation that AAP neglected its Kadi candidate, Jadvani said the candidate had not made any complaints and that Makwana himself had been assigned responsibility for Kadi but was not present during the campaign.
Meanwhile, BJP Gujarat’s media convener Yagnesh Dave responded to Gadhvi’s statements, saying, “Isudanbhai blames BJP for everything. He should look within and understand why people are leaving his party. BJP already has 162 seats and doesn’t need to poach anyone. He should hold himself accountable.”
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
