Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel retires from electoral politics
What's the story
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has announced his retirement from electoral politics. The 76-year-old leader wrote a letter to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, informing him of his decision and saying that his advancing age was the reason for stepping down. "Due to my age, I want to distance myself from electoral politics. I assure you that I will continue to serve the Aam Aadmi Party with all my heart, mind and wealth," he wrote.
Political impact
Goel's retirement: A significant loss for AAP
Reacting to Goel's decision, Kejriwal called it an "emotional moment" for the party. He thanked Goel for his guidance over the years and said the party would continue to need his experience. Goel has been the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly since 2015. He is the Shahdara Assembly seat representative and was first elected as an MLA in 1993 on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
Career overview
Goel's political journey and contributions
In the 2015 election, he defeated BJP's Jitender Singh Shunty by 11,731 votes. During its term, the assembly conducted several legislative activities, including passing 26 bills and tabling 19 committee reports. Looking back at his role, Goel said, "As Speaker, I have fulfilled my duties impartially, giving equal importance to both the ruling party and the opposition."