Kailash Gahlot quits AAP ahead of Delhi polls, flags 'grave challenges'

In a setback to the AAP ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, its senior leader and city Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot quit the party on Sunday.

In his resignation letter to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, the 50-year-old pointed to the "grave challenges" facing the party  Gahlot, a prominent figure in the party, also took a jab at Kejriwal while flagging some "awkward" and "embarrassing" controversies like 'sheeshmahal', saying it makes everyone doubt if "we still believe in being the 'Aam Aadmi'".

Gahlot's reference to the 'sheeshmahal' controversy comes against the backdrop of BJP leaders' charge that Kejriwal spent crores on lavish items and modern facilities at his former official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road. The BJP had dubbed Kejriwal's earlier residence as 'sheeshmahal'.

Gahlot, the MLA from Najafgarh, tendered his resignation from the council of ministers with immediate effect. Official sources said the resignation was accepted by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.

AAP leaders said Gahlot was facing ED and CBI cases and he had no option left but to join the BJP.

Its a "dirty political conspiracy" of the BJP and it wants to win the Delhi Assembly polls by misusing the ED and CBI, they charged.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva welcomed Gahlot's resignation, saying he took a brave step.

"Gahlot stepped down raising the same issues for which the BJP was protesting and fighting against Kejriwal and AAP. His resignation proves that even the AAP leaders do not consider Kejriwal as an honest politician," Sachdeva said. 

 

In his letter to Kejriwal, which was shared on X, Gahlot said the "Aam Aadmi Party faces grave challenges. Challenges from within, to the very values that brought us together to AAP. Political ambitions have overtaken our commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled".

"Take for example the Yamuna, which we had promised to transform into a clean river, but never got around doing it. Now the Yamuna river is perhaps even more polluted than before," he said.

Gahlot, who was also in-charge of the portfolios of Home, Administrative Reforms, IT and Women and Child Development, said the AAP has also been fighting for its own political agenda instead of fighting for the rights of the people.

"Another painful point has been the fact that instead of fighting for peoples rights we have increasingly only been fighting for our own political agenda. This has severely crippled our ability to even deliver basic services to the people of Delhi. it is now obvious that real progress for Delhi cannot happen if the Delhi government spends majority of its time fighting with the Centre," he said.

The senior AAP leader's resignation comes at a time when the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly polls slated to be held in February next year.