15 MCD councillors resign from AAP, form new Indraprastha Vikas Party
The councillors led by Himani Jain and Mukesh Goel flagged internal conflicts behind their resignation. They formed a new political party named the 'Indraprastha Vikas Party.'
New Delhi: In an another setback for the Aam Aadmi Party months after the assembly poll drubbing, 15 councillors in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have resigned from the party's membership and announced the formation of a new party.
'We have formed a new party, Indraprastha Vikas Party. We have resigned from AAP. In the last 2.5 years, no work was done in the corporation which should have been done. We were in power, yet we did nothing… We have formed a new party because our ideology is to work for the development of Delhi… We will support the party which will work for the development of Delhi. So far, 15 councillors have resigned. More may join…,' Jain said.
Mukesh Goel said, 'About 15 councillors have resigned from the primary membership of Aam Aadmi Party and formed a new party, Indraprastha Vikas Party. Despite being in power, we could not work for the service of the people of Delhi. We could not work due to internal conflicts…'
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Priyanka Kakkar alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is attempting to lure AAP councillors with financial incentives following the resignation of several councillors from the party.
The AAP leader accused the BJP of resorting to such tactics to bolster its position in the municipal body.
Speaking to ANI, Kakkar claimed, 'We had also told during the mayor election how the BJP had offered Rs five crore to our councillors to join their party. This time also they are trying to buy councillors, because the BJP still does not have enough members to form a standing committee or a ward committee, so they are trying these things…' (ANI)
This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Also Read: Kejriwal announces 'Nasha Mukti Yatra' in Punjab amid state's 'war against drugs'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
23 minutes ago
- India Today
Boost for e-sports, ban on real-money games: Key features of Online Gaming Bill
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, marking a major move aiming to reshape India's digital gaming landscape. The legislation seeks to balance the nation's rapid technological growth with public safety, banning harmful real-money games while promoting e-sports and educational the Bill, Union Minister for Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw said India is poised to become a 'global hub of creative and innovative game development.' He added that while technology has revolutionised lives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, its misuse must be curbed to protect youth and FEATURES OF THE BILL 1. Promotion of E-Sports - E-sports are formally recognised as a competitive sport.- The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports will set up training academies, research centres, and tech platforms.- Incentive schemes and integration into the national sports policy will bolster the ecosystem. 2. Encouragement of Social and Educational Games- The Central Government will categorise and register age-appropriate, safe games.- Special focus on games with educational, cultural, and skill-development value.- Campaigns will promote gaming's role in digital literacy and constructive engagement. 3. Total Ban on Real-Money Online Games- A blanket ban on offering, advertising, or facilitating fantasy sports, rummy, poker, online lotteries, or betting apps.- Financial institutions are barred from processing related transactions.- Platforms that violate the law can be blocked under the IT Act, 2000. 4. Establishment of Online Gaming Authority - A national-level regulator will be formed to monitor and register online games. - The Authority will have powers to issue guidelines, enforce compliance, and handle complaints. 5. Stringent Penalties for Violations - Offering money games: up to 3 years imprisonment and/or Rs 1 crore fine. - Advertising money games: up to 2 years imprisonment and/or Rs 50 lakh fine. - Transactions linked to banned games: up to 3 years imprisonment and/or Rs 1 crore fine. - Repeat offenders face up to 5 years jail and Rs 2 crore fine. - All key offences are cognisable and non-bailable. 6. Corporate Liability - Company officers are held accountable unless due diligence is proven. - Independent directors uninvolved in decisions are exempt from liability. 7. Enforcement and Security Provisions - The Bill addresses addiction, financial losses, suicides, and the use of platforms for money laundering and terror financing. - Enforcement officers are empowered to search, seize, and arrest without a warrant. - Aligned with laws like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. 8. Rule-Making Powers The government is authorised to frame rules on:advertisement - E-sports promotion - Development of educational and cultural games - Registration and categorisation of games - Gaming Authority protocols and powersMeanwhile, government sources told India Today that 'the government isn't mincing words, these platforms aren't just games. They're psychological traps leading to addiction, financial ruin, and in some tragic cases, suicide.' Officials cited real-money gaming platforms as breeding grounds for money laundering, terror financing, and digital scams, with unregulated cross-border cash flows posing serious national security government also noted that several Members of Parliament had raised concerns from their constituencies, reporting cases of individuals falling into debt and even taking their own lives due to the addictive nature of online money the legislation as a 'balanced growth strategy for Digital India,' the government stated that the Bill aims to safeguard citizens from the psychological, financial, and social harms of real-money the same time, it aims to stimulate innovation, enhance digital literacy, and give a structured push to India's creative economy, positioning the country as a global leader in responsible Online Gaming Bill, 2025 thus sets a clear direction: while India champions the potential of games as tools of learning, sport, and expression, it is drawing a firm line against platforms that endanger the well-being of its citizens.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
23 minutes ago
- India Today
Why Putin's delegation used cash to refuel jets during Trump summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin's delegation had to pay nearly USD 250,000 (about Rs 2.2 crore) in cash to refuel three aircraft during a high-stakes summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on August 15, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News that the unusual payment was a direct consequence of US banking sanctions against Moscow, which prevent Russian officials from using the American financial system. 'When the Russians landed in Alaska, they were there to refuel. They had to offer to pay in cash to refuel their aeroplanes because they can't use our banking system,' he face consequences every single day, but the bottom line is that it has not altered the direction of this war. That doesn't mean those sanctions were inappropriate; it means it hasn't altered the outcome of it," he added. Putin and his team remained in Alaska for nearly five hours, attending a nearly three-hour meeting with Trump. While Trump later stated that 'no deal' or ceasefire agreement had been reached, reports indicate Russia presented a proposal that Trump encouraged Ukraine to meeting Putin, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington on Monday to discuss lasting security guarantees for Kyiv. Zelenskyy said he was willing to hold direct talks with Putin but rejected any deal involving territorial defended the existing sanctions' regime, saying all measures imposed before Trump took office remain intact and continue to exert daily pressure on Russia. However, he acknowledged that these penalties have not significantly altered the course of the conflict. 'Sanctions take months and sometimes years to bite,' he said, arguing that additional sanctions could jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.- EndsTune InMust Watch
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Congress picks Khurshid to lead party's foreign affairs wing, BJP ex-MP as vice-chair
Brijendra Singh, a former BJP MP and the son of Birender Singh who served as a minister in the first two Modi governments, had joined the Congress in 2024 ahead of the 2024 general elections. He contested the Haryana assembly election but lost by a margin of 32 votes. Khurshid, who served as the minister of external affairs in the UPA-II government, will be assisted by Brijendra Singh and Arathi Krishna as vice-chairpersons of the department which had previously Manish Tewari, Deepender Singh Hooda as members among others. New Delhi: The Congress Wednesday appointed senior leader Salman Khurshid, 72, as the chairperson of the party's Foreign Affairs Department, days after Anand Sharma stepped down from the post citing the need to entrust 'younger leaders' with the charge. Arathi Krishna is considered close to Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Incidentally, Khurshid was among the Congress leaders to be made members of multi-party delegations on Operation Sindoor by the Centre. His name did not figure in the list of four names that the Congress had proposed. What makes his appointment interesting is that Khurshid had irked the Congress leadership by defending the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir during his visit to Indonesia as part of one of the delegations. He had told a gathering of academia and think tanks in Indonesia that Article 370 of the Constitution had given rise to an impression that J&K was 'separate' from the rest of India. 'But Article 370 was abrogated. It was abrogated, and it was finally put to an end, because so much time has passed. Subsequently, there was an election with 65 percent participation in the election. There's an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir today. And therefore, for people who want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir is something which is very, very unfortunate, and it will give a setback to anybody,' he had said. While the Congress has never demanded the restoration of Article 370, the party also never hailed the move as one that benefited Jammu and Kashmir. That is why the BJP was quick to seize on Khurshid's remarks in an attempt to corner the Congress. Later, Khurshid, in a post on X, had hit out at his critics, including within the party. 'When on a mission against terrorism, to carry India's message to the world, it is distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances… is it so difficult to be patriotic?' he had posted. Sharma, on the other hand, was the Congress leadership's only choice that had made the cut for being part of the delegations formed in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor to argue India's case in various world capitals. While in his resignation letter, Sharma wrote that the department needs to be reconstituted to bring in younger leaders of potential and promise, sources told ThePrint that he was upset over being sidelined and not consulted on foreign policy matters by the Congress leadership. Over the last few years, he has found himself at odds with the party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, over many issues. Earlier this month, after Rahul, currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, remarked that he agreed with US President Donald Trump's assessment that the Indian economy was 'dead', Sharma took a divergent view. 'President Trump has triggered an upheaval and caused unprecedented disruption in the world order by his utterances and actions. His comments on India and its Economy are belittling and unacceptable. India has withstood pressures & threats in the past, & emerged stronger. President Trump is mistaken that India does not have options. As the fourth largest economy India has resilience & inherent strength to engage with the world on principles of equality & mutual respect…' Sharma wrote on X on 4 August. Also Read: Control, fear, and division—Congress hasn't changed even 50 years after Emergency
