In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, former Minister and AAP leader Kailash Gahlot joined the BJP on Monday.
Gehlot, who resigned from AAP on Sunday citing deep concerns over the party’s direction and internal challenges, joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other BJP leaders.
Speaking on his resignation from the AAP, Kailash Gahlot said that it was not an easy step for him.
“This was not an easy step for me. I have been associated with AAP since the days of Anna Ji and have consistently worked for the people of Delhi. To everyone who thinks that I made this decision under pressure, I want to say that I have never done anything under pressure. This is not a decision taken in just one day. I left my legal career to join AAP, and all of us were united by an ideology. Our sole purpose was to serve the people of Delhi,” he said.
He highlighted that when he saw those values being compromised, it caused great pain.
“The purpose for which we had come together is no longer visible today. If a government continuously engages in conflict with the central government on every issue, then the development of Delhi cannot take place,” Gahlot said.
“I firmly believe that Delhi’s development can only happen in collaboration with the central government. This is why I have joined the BJP. I will continue to work inspired by the vision and policies of the Prime Minister,” he added.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who was present at Gahlot’s joining welcomed the senior leader to the party.
“Today, Delhi’s former minister Kailash Gahlot has joined the BJP. This is a turning point in Delhi’s politics as a senior minister of the Delhi Govt has joined the BJP…I am sure that you must have seen the work of PM Modi and BJP before taking the decision to join BJP. I welcome you to the party,” Khattar said.
On Sunday, in his letter to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Kailash Gahlot criticized the shift in the party’s focus from advocating for the rights of the people to advancing its own political agenda, a shift he said has hindered AAP’s ability to provide basic services to the residents of Delhi.
He highlighted the unfulfilled promise of cleaning the Yamuna River, which remains more polluted than ever and expressed concern over controversies like the ‘Sheeshmahal’ issue, which, he said, have led people to question whether AAP still upholds its commitment to being a party of the “Aam Aadmi.”