Delhi’s former Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, who called himself Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Hanuman’ till Sunday, and was one of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s senior-most leaders, jumped the fence on Monday morning to join the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a day after quitting the party. After joining the BJP, Gahlot clarified that he didn’t quit Delhi’s ruling party because of pressure from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He alleged that efforts are being made to build a false narrative that his decision to quit the AAP was the result of probe agencies pressure while AAP convener said Gahlot was free to make his choice. Speaking to reporters, he said, “He is free; he can go wherever he wants.”
Similarly, former Congress MLA from Matiala, Somesh Shoukeen joined the AAP in the presence of Arvind Kejriwal. This comes a day after the AAP suffered a blow with its Jat leader Kailash Gahlot resigning from the party.
Gahlot joined the BJP at its headquarters in the presence of Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Harsh Malhotra, Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva, party vice president Baijayant Jay Panda and national media head Anil Baluni among others.
“Some people must be thinking that this decision was taken overnight and under someone’s pressure. I want to tell them that I have never done anything under anyone’s pressure to date… I am hearing that an attempt is being made to build a narrative that it was done under the pressure of the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation... all this is wrong,” he said, adding “The fact is that the AAP compromised its values”. He claimed that he has never acted under anyone’s pressure.
Gahlot said “maintaining good relations with the Centre is essential for Delhi’s development”, as he accused the AAP government of constantly being in a fight with the central government led by the BJP. “Be it the Chief Minister or ministers, they were picking fights with the Centre over smallest of issues all the time,” he alleged, claiming that he maintained good relations with the Central government, including the Lieutenant Governor Gahlot said people like him joined the AAP not out of personal ambitions but for Delhi’s development and that he has joined the BJP for the same reason.
Gahlot praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and agenda.
He accused the AAP of compromising the values which attracted people in large numbers to its fold following its birth as a political party after the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement. People saw hope in a person, an apparent reference to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, and the party’s ideology but those values were compromised. They have become “khas” (special) from “aam” (ordinary), Gahlot claimed.
The BJP is hopeful that Gahlot’s induction into the party will boost its prospects in the upcoming assembly polls as it looks to wrest power from the AAP. Sachdeva said Gahlot, a two-term MLA and an advocate, is a leader known for his good work.
Meanwhile, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal reacted to Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot’s resignation and defection to the BJP, stating that Gahlot was free to make his choice. Speaking to reporters, he said, “He is free; he can go wherever he wants.”
On the other hand, former Matiala MLA from Congress, Somesh Shokeen joined the AAP, a day after Gahlot resigned from the party. Welcoming Shokeen to the AAP fold, Kejriwal said his joining will not only give a boost to the party in rural Delhi but also in other parts of the National Capital. Kejriwal is hopeful that Shokeen, known as a ‘Delhi-dehat’ leader may help to influence the traditional Jat dominated seats here.
Before the AAP came to power, the people living in Delhi-Dehat were neglected and cut off from the main city, Kejriwal said. The AAP government improved connectivity, opened schools, hospitals, mohalla clinics and stadiums, and provided other facilities in outer Delhi areas, bringing them at par with other parts of the city, he said.
