After wife, son, 5-time Congress MLA Mateen Ahmed joins AAP
What's the story
In a major political development, veteran Congress leader Mateen Ahmed has joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, due to be held in February 2025. Party convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the development. Ahmed is a five-time MLA from Seelampur constituency in Delhi and has been in the assembly from 1993 to 2013.
Warm welcome
Kejriwal welcomes Ahmed to AAP
Welcoming Mateen into the party, Kejriwal said, "Today, Mateen Sahab has joined the right party. Better late than never." He also called him a "prominent figure in Delhi politics," adding that both the AAP and Ahmed have earned respect for their work. Notably, Mateen's son Chaudhry Zubair Ahmad and wife Shagufta Choudhry—a Congress Councillor—joined the AAP last month.
Family shift
Ahmed's family also joins AAP
Chaudhry also resigned as District President of Babarpur Congress Committee and from the party, citing "personal reasons." In his resignation letter, he thanked the party leadership for the opportunities. Shagufta, on the other hand, said she joined the AAP to promote peace and harmony in her constituency, which was facing communal tensions.
Political landscape
Ahmed's political journey and AAP's stronghold
Historically, Mateen has contested elections from Seelampur under different banners including Janata Dal and as an independent candidate before joining the Congress Party. He won all elections during his tenure from 1993-2013. The AAP has held the Seelampur Assembly seat since 2015 with Mohammad Ishraq winning that year and Abdul Rehman winning in 2020.