Amid alliance talks for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a massive setback in Delhi as its sitting MLA and former minister Rajendra Pal Gautam joined the Congress on Friday, in the presence of the party’s general secretary KC Venugopal, party’s Delhi chief Devender Yadav and party leader Pawan Khera. Gautam is the third senior leader to leave AAP after Raaj Kumar Anand and Kartar Singh Tanwar ahead of the assembly polls due early next year. Gautam joined the Congress two years after his presence at a “mass religious conversion” event in October 2022 triggered a political row. Gautam’s exit came at a time when the AAP and the Congress were negotiating for seat sharing in 90 assembly seats in Haryana.
Minutes after announcing his resignation from the AAP and all posts held by him in the party, Gautam joined the Congress. He has also resigned as AAP MLA from the reserved Seemapuri Assembly constituency. The former AAP leader also praised Congress' Rahul Gandhi and his Bharat Jodo Yatra."At such a time, Rahul Gandhi gave a slogan during Bharat Jodo Yatra - Main nafrat ke baazar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholne aaya hoon. That slogan touched my heart. He said that Constitution has to be saved and taking forward social justice in the country, every section should get their representation as per their population...My struggle has always been that everyone should get their representation and honour," Gautam said.
In October 2022, Gautam resigned as a cabinet minister in the Delhi government after facing criticism for attending a mass conversion event where around 10,000 people converted to Buddhism. The BJP had accused him of "insulting Hindu Gods and Goddesses" and demanded his removal by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Gautam had apologised and shared his resignation letter on social media. AAP or Kejriwal did not come out in his defence, which attracted criticism. Fearing that the issue could have an impact on AAP's prospects in poll-bound Gujarat where the BJP has ratcheted up the issue, the party had said, "Delhi CM and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal is extremely displeased with minister Rajendra Pal Gautam."
Earlier in the day, he made the announcement in Hindi on social media platform X. "In order to accelerate the struggle for social justice and participation and involvement of Bahujan Samaj in all fields, I am resigning from all the posts and membership of Aam Aadmi Party. Jai Bheem!" he said in the post.Unfortunately, we can see a rise in religious and caste frenzy in the last 10 years. Riots are breaking out and Dalits, backwards and minorities are being oppressed," he said.
The former minister thanked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for giving him an opportunity to become an MLA twice.
In his three-page resignation letter posted on X, he addressed to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Gautam also criticised the party over appearing "very weak and helpless" before the BJP in raising issues like caste census, raising reservation limit above 50 percent, ensuring population based participation of 'Bahujan Samaj', and defending secularism."I have to say it with a heavy heart that its impossible to imagine about works of social justice and social equality within AAP," he said in his resignation letter.
Gautam said, as a soldier of Babasaheb Ambedkar, he was feeling for sometime that he won't be able to achieve the first and last goal of his life which is social justice, while being in AAP.
The AAP gives no special representation to the SC, ST, OBC and minority, Gautam, who belongs to the Dalit community, said. "Party (AAP) supports upper caste MLAs or ministers when they face any allegations but it immediately abandons Muslim or Dalit even if the allegations are false. The party in a way internally blacklists the Muslim and Dalit and changes its behaviour which is painful," he charged in his letter to Kejriwal.
Addressing a press conference, Venugopal said, “It's a proud moment for us as Rajendra Pal Gautam joins the Congress party". "The Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra have given a new narrative to the country, and now the country is also accepting it with full might. Attracted by the Congress programs under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, he has decided to join the Congress " Venugopal said of Gautam.
Gautam joined the the Aam Aadmi Party in November 2014 and went on to become minister in the Kejriwal government holding various portfolios, including social welfare. Gautam resigned as social welfare minister in October 2022 after he kicked off a political storm over his alleged remarks against Hindu deities. He is a former Minister for Water, Tourist, Culture, Arts and Languages and Gurudwara Elections in the Government of Delhi, and represents Seemapuri Assembly constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
