Former Delhi Minister And AAP Leader Kailash Gahlot Joins BJP

Former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Kailash Gahlot joins BJP, in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other BJP leaders.

Kailash Gahlot, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Delhi minister, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, just a day after resigning from AAP.

Gahlot, who represented the Najafgarh constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly for two terms, was inducted into the BJP at its headquarters in the presence of prominent leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP national vice president Jay Panda, Anil Baluni, and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva.

Gahlot, a prominent Jat face for AAP, had held several key portfolios in the Delhi government since 2017, including Home, Transport, IT, and Women & Child Development. In his resignation letter to AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Gahlot cited unfulfilled promises and internal controversies as reasons for his departure.

He expressed disappointment over the party's departure from its core values, writing, "Today, AAP faces grave challenges... the values that brought us together are being lost."

He specifically highlighted the unaddressed promise of cleaning the Yamuna River, which he said had become even more polluted over time. Gahlot also referred to the controversy surrounding Kejriwal's bungalow, dubbed "Sheeshmahal" by critics, as a source of embarrassment for the party and a sign that it was drifting away from its roots as a party of the common man.

Gahlot further criticized the ongoing confrontation between the Delhi government and the Centre, stating that it was hindering the city's progress. He argued that as long as the Delhi government focused on political battles with the Centre, real development for the city would remain out of reach.

His resignation is a significant blow to AAP, especially with Delhi Assembly elections set for February next year, as Gahlot was seen as a key figure within the party.