Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Advocate Amit Palekar said he joined the Aam Aadmi Party inspired by its educated leadership and promise of clean politics, and worked tirelessly to build the organisation in Goa, including taking on the BJP at multiple levels. Describing his removal as Goa unit president and being singled out for blame as unacceptable, Palekar said he had done nothing wrong against the party, even as his exit triggered a wider leadership crisis within AAP Goa.
Palekar resigned from the party’s primary membership days after being removed as state president following AAP’s poor performance in the recent Zilla Parishad elections. He said his decision was rooted in self-respect and a growing disconnect between the party’s founding ideals and its current functioning.
The turmoil deepened within hours of his resignation, as Shrikrishna Parab—who was appointed state president with additional charge after Palekar’s removal—also stepped down, citing serious concerns over the manner in which key decisions were taken. His resignation was followed by those of State Vice President Sarfaraz, Goa Youth Wing President Rohan Naik, and office-bearer Chetan Kamat, laying bare deep unrest within the state unit.
In his resignation letter addressed to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Goa desk in-charge Atishi, Palekar said he had entered public life not for posts or positions, but believing AAP represented an alternative political culture based on transparency, internal democracy, and respect for grassroots workers.
Palekar said he had devoted significant professional time and made personal and family sacrifices for the party’s growth in Goa, taking initiatives and leading efforts against the BJP. However, he said his removal and the manner in which responsibility was fixed on him alone were deeply unfair and demoralising.
He added that decision-making within the party had become increasingly centralised, with limited consultation, undermining the democratic ethos that once defined the organisation. Such an approach, he said, strains institutions and weakens the morale of workers rather than strengthening the party.
Parab, in his resignation, made his discomfort with Palekar’s removal explicit, stating that the process adopted violated basic organisational norms. He said a decision of such importance should have been taken in a transparent, dignified, and consultative manner.
Parab also pointed out that no detailed Zilla Parishad-level review was conducted before effecting the leadership change, despite the party’s disappointing electoral outcome. He warned that bypassing such an assessment could have serious implications for the party’s organisational strength and grassroots morale in Goa.
