Bidding adieu to politics: AAP’s Anmol Gagan resigns as Kharar MLA

Former minister and AAP leader Anmol Gagan Mann has resigned as the MLA of Kharar. She has also declared her intent to quit politics.

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She had reportedly submitted her resignation a few days ago. Though efforts by senior AAP leaders were on to ask her to reconsider her decision, today she announced her decision to quit politics for good on her social media handle. The Tribune has learnt that her resignation has not been accepted as yet. There is no official reaction from the party on her resignation.

She now becomes the second MLA in the Aam Aadmi Party government to tender resignation. Before her, Sheetal Angural had resigned as MLA and joined the BJP. If and when her resignation is accepted, it would mean that the government will have to face three byelections — Tarn Taran (necessitated by the death of Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal), Banga (where Akali MLA Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi has joined AAP) and now Kharar.

“With a heavy heart, I have decided to quit politics. My resignation from the post of MLA, submitted to the Speaker, may be accepted. My best wishes are with the party. I am hopeful that the Punjab Government will live up to the expectations of the people,” Anmol said in a tweet. She, however, went incommunicado after the announcement.

Earlier this week, Anmol had met AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and had said she had an in-depth discussion with him on key issues. “His dream of uplifting society always fills us with courage and determination,” she had said on her social media handle.

The 36-year-old singer-turned-politician was inducted into the Bhagwant Mann Cabinet in July 2022 as the Tourism and Investment Promotion Minister, and was asked to resign as minister in September last year. She got married in June last year. Following this, she was not seen much in her constituency, which abuts Mohali. Sources in AAP said during this time, another AAP leader, who holds charge of a government board, became active in her constituency. Though she did become active again this year, by this time she had ceded political space.

A few months ago, Anmol had accused revenue officers in Kharar of seeking bribes in her name and bringing her disrepute. She was often accused by people in her constituency and her political rivals of not being able to ensure better civic amenities in Kharar.

Anmol hails from Mansa district and had started her political innings when she joined AAP in 2020. She actively participated in party protests. Before the 2022 elections, she had declared that farmers in Punjab would get MSP on all crops “within five minutes”. This quote of hers was often used by opposition leaders to hit out at the AAP government.