The North News
Chandigarh, July 21
Less than 24 hours after abruptly resigning from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and active politics, Anmol Gagan Maan, the young MLA from Kharar, has reversed her decision following a personal intervention by the party’s Punjab unit president Aman Arora. The former Punjabi folk singer turned politician confirmed on Sunday evening that she had accepted the party’s request to stay on, after meeting Arora in what he described as a “familial atmosphere”. In a post on X, Arora said the party had rejected her resignation and reaffirmed her role in AAP’s future. “She was, is, and will remain part of the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal ji’s family,” he wrote in Punjabi.
Maan, 35, had posted a message on Saturday that stunned many within political circles: “With a heavy heart, I have decided to quit politics. My best wishes are with the party. I hope the Punjab government meets public expectations.” The resignation triggered speculation about internal rifts and disillusionment within the state unit.
Having joined AAP in 2020, Maan was widely seen as a rising star, bridging cultural influence and political ambition. Her 2022 victory over veteran Akali Dal leader Ranjeet Singh Gill marked a generational shift. She was soon inducted as Minister for Tourism and Culture in Bhagwant Mann’s cabinet but was dropped from the cabinet just months later during a reshuffle.
Since then, she had distanced herself from active legislative work and remained absent from several party events, fuelling speculation about her waning engagement with the party’s leadership.
Her short-lived resignation has highlighted not only the internal strain within the Punjab unit but also the party’s acute sensitivity to public image and symbolic figures. With the 2027 Assembly elections on the horizon, Maan’s return is being seen as a necessary course correction, especially to hold on to the party’s youthful and cultural base.
