A day after the Aam Aadmi Party's defeat in the Abohar Municipal Corporation mayoral election, AAP Abohar Halqa incharge Arun Narang resigned from his post on Wednesday, taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat.

"I have resigned from the post of Halqa incharge, accepting moral responsibility for the defeat in the mayoral election. However, I will continue to remain a member of the Aam Aadmi Party and will keep

working to propagate the policies of the Punjab Government under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann," Narang told The Tribune.

Narang said he had forwarded his resignation to Punjab AAP incharge Manish Sisodia. Narang, a former BJP MLA from Abohar, represented the constituency from 2017 to 2022. He joined the AAP in September 2023 after the BJP

appointed his political rival, Sunil Jakhar, as Punjab BJP chief.

In the recent MC elections, the BJP won 28 of the 50 wards, while the AAP secured 20 seats. During the corporation's maiden meeting on July 9, Narang had claimed that AAP councillor Ganesh Sablania had been elected Mayor. However, following strong protests by BJP rank and file over the election process, the meeting was deferred.

Subsequently, the party inducted Suhani, daughter-in-law of liquor baron Shiv Lal Doda, into the AAP. Political circles claimed that the Doda family was entrusted with the responsibility of securing the mayoral election. Sources said the move reportedly did not go down well with Narang and is believed to have contributed to his decision

to step down from the post of halqa incharge.

In the rescheduled mayoral election held on Tuesday, the BJP emerged victorious, with Pooja Wadhwa being elected Mayor of the Abohar MC.