Kailash Gahlot joins BJP, says didn't quit AAP due to ED, CBI pressure

In a major setback to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of assembly elections in February next year, Kailash Gahlot, Delhi's former Transport Minister and one of the senior most AAP leader on Nov 18 joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Ministers ML Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. He had resigned from AAP a day before.

Khattar described Gahlot's induction as a "turning point", ahead of elections.

"This is not an easy step for me... I was a part of the AAP since the time of Anna Hazare – the anti-corruption activist whose popular movement birthed the AAP – and have worked for Delhi throughout as MLA and minister," Gahlot said in his first comments after joining the BJP.

"Some may think this is an overnight decision or due to pressure. But I want to tell them I haven't ever taken any decision due to pressure," he told reporters.

He said that a false narrative is being spread by AAP leaders that I did this due to Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate pressure.

“I want to tell my critics since 2015, as AAP member, as MLA, and as a minister, I have never done anything due to pressure," he said.

In his resignation letter, Gahlot (50) claimed that AAP's "political ambitions" have overtaken its commitment to the people.

"Instead of fighting for people's rights we have increasingly only been fighting for our own political agenda," the 50-year-old said in his resignation letter to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Gahlot rejected claims by the AAP and other opposition parties - that the BJP uses federal agencies, like the CBI or ED, to harass and intimidate rival political leaders, particularly before an election, to either destabilize or discredit and pick up extra votes.

The BJP has rubbished the AAP claim, arguing the CBI and ED are independent agencies.

Gahlot slammed his former colleagues who claimed he had succumbed to the "pressure" and attributed his resignation decision to the "dwindling credibility" of AAP on various issues.

Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence on the resignation so far. At an event on Nov 17, he declined to answer questions on Gahlot, passing the microphone to senior leader Durgesh Pathak instead.

Kejriwal had earlier said that Gehlot had been questioned and raided for several months.

“Gahlot could not withstand the pressure and decided to go with the flow.” he was quoted as saying.

Pertinently, Gahlot's switch comes less than three months before an Assembly election widely expected to be a head-to-head between his former and current political masters.

Kejriwal's closest aide

Gahlot was widely seen as one of Kejriwal's closest aides, particularly when the ex-chief minister was in Delhi's Tihar jail in the alleged liqor policy scam. And when Kejriwal stepped down, after securing bail, Gahlot was on the shortlist to replace the party boss.

But all of that seemed to unravel over the past few months, with his sacking as Law minister seen as triggering the end of his relationship with the party, sources were quoted as saying. This was in December last year, after the Delhi government was juggling cabinet assignments after Manish Sisodia's resignation.

The main issue prominently highlighted in the stand-off, though, was the rift over who would unfurl the national flag during the official Independence Day celebration in Delhi.

Kejriwal, who was in jail then delegated the task to Atishi - a choice that made clear her prominence in the party and sparked speculation which proved right later that she might be the one to replace him.

At that time Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, however, intervened, and handed the job to Gahlot, who complied without any conciliatory words to Kejriwal or Atishi.

A lawyer, Kailash Gahlot represents the Nazafgarh Assembly seat, which he has held since 2015.