NEW DELHI: Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kailash Gahlot has resigned from the party on Sunday. Gahlot, a member of the AAP, has held key positions within the Delhi government, including the portfolios of Transport, Law and Revenue.
Gahlot wrote a letter to the party’s national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal.
The letter reads, “There are many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the ‘Sheeshmahal’, which are now making everyone doubt whether we still believe in being the Aam Aadmi.”
“It is now obvious that real progress for Delhi cannot happen if the Delhi Government spends majority of its time fighting with the Centre. I find myself left with no option but to step away from AAP and hence I resign from primary membership of Aam Aadmi Party,” Gahlot added further.
Arvind Kejriwal takes a selfie with transport minister Kailash Gahlot during the flagging off ceremony of 150 electric buses, in New Delhi. (ANI photo)
Party shifted focus from serving people to pursuing political ambitions
Gahlot announced his resignation from AAP, citing internal challenges and unfulfilled promises, including the failure to clean the Yamuna River. He criticized the party for shifting its focus from serving the public to pursuing political ambitions, which, he argued, has hindered the delivery of basic services in Delhi.
In his resignation letter, Gahlot highlighted the party’s failure to fulfill its promise of transforming the Yamuna River into a clean waterway, stating,
“Take for example the Yamuna, which we had promised to transform into a clean river, but never got around to doing it. Now the Yamuna River is perhaps even more polluted than ever before. Apart from this, now there are many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the ‘Sheeshmahal,’ which are now making everyone doubt whether we still believe in being the Aam Aadmi.”
He also expressed disappointment over the party’s shift in priorities, stating, “Instead of fighting for people’s 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 the majority of its time fighting with the Centre.”
Gahlot reiterated that his political journey began with a commitment to serve the people of Delhi and emphasized his intention to continue working towards that mission.
BJP’s reaction: ‘Does not want to be a part of ‘lootera gang’
In response to Gahlot’s resignation, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, “Kailash Gahlot has held up a mirror to Arvind Kejriwal, making it clear that he does not want to be part of Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘lootera’ gang. Kailash Gahlot has taken a very courageous step and we appreciate this.”
Inaugurated the world’s first all-women bus depot
Gahlot on Saturday inaugurated the world’s first all-women bus depot at Sarojini Nagar, aptly named the ‘Sakhi Depot’. The groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind globally, will have an entirely female workforce, including drivers, conductors, and other depot staff.
Speaking at the inauguration, Kailash Gahlot lauded the efforts of the women workforce, stating: “The ‘Sakhi Depot’ is not just a symbol of women empowerment but a testament to breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. Our women drivers and conductors are paving the way for a more inclusive and progressive society. This depot is just the beginning; we aim to establish many such depots across Delhi under the ‘Sakhi’ initiative, offering equal opportunities and inspiring women across the nation.”