Kailash Gahlot Joins BJP Day After Quitting AAP Ahead of Delhi Polls

New Delhi: Former Delhi minister and senior Aam Ami Party (AAP) leer Kailash Gehlot, who resigned from party on Sunday (November 17), joined Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) on Monday. Gehlot represents Najafgarh constituency in Delhi legislative assembly. former Delhi minister joined saffron party in presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and or BJP leers.

Gahlot, once a close confidant of AAP supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal , resigned from council of ministers with immediate effect in a big jolt to party. Later, Delhi CM Atishi accepted his resignation. As per reports portfolio assigned to Gahlot in AAP government, which included transport, ministrative Reforms, Information & Technology, Home and Women & Child Development departments, will remain with Chief Minister Atishi until a new appointment.

Kejriwal's First Response on Gahlot’s Exit from AAP

Breaking his silence on resignation of party leer Gahlot, Kejriwal on Monday said “He is free, he can go wherever he wants." remarks came during a press briefing where Congress leer and former MLA Sumesh Shokeen joined AAP.

Why Kailash Gahlot Resigned?

In his letter to Kejriwal on Sunday, Najafgarh MLA cited “challenges” faced by AAP-led govt in national capital as reason to distance himself from party. He furr mentioned, in his letter, that political ambitions within party have overshowed its core commitment to serving people. Voicing serious concerns, Gahlot highlighted a significant shift in party's focus from vocating for rights of people to vance its own political agenda, a shift he said has hindered AAP's ability to provide basic services to residents of Delhi.

In a letter to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday, Kailash Gahlot said, “Let me start with sincerely thanking you for having given me honour of serving and representing people of Delhi as an MLA and a Minister. However, at same time, I also want to share with you that today Aam Ami Party faces grave challenges. Challenges from within, to very values that brought us toger to AAP.” 

former AAP leer in his letter also underlined "unfulfilled promise" of cleaning Yamuna River, as it remains polluted and expressed his concern over controversies like 'Sheeshmahal' , which, he said, has led people to question wher AAP still upholds its commitment to being a part of “Aam Ami.” 

“Political ambitions have overtaken our commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled. Take for example YAMUNA, which we h promised to transform into a clean river, but never got around to doing it. Now Yamuna River is perhaps even more polluted than ever before. Apart from this, now re are many embarrassing and awkward controversies like 'SHEESHMAHAL', which are now making everyone doubt wher we still believe in being AAM AMI.” 

He furr announced that his political journey began with a commitment to serve people of Delhi, and he intends to continue that mission and also extended his best wishes to AAP leership for ir health and future, while thanking his party colleagues and well-wishers for ir support during his tenure. Gahlot’s resignation comes weeks after party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal turned rebel, although she remains an MP from party.
 

Raghuvinder Shokeen to Replace Gahlot in Delhi Cabinet 

Meanwhile, AAP has chosen Raghuvinder Shokeen to fill position left vacant by Kailash Gahlot following his resignation from Delhi cabinet. Raghuvinder Shokeen is an MLA from Nangloi Jat. Meanwhile, Delhi assembly elections are due in February next year.