Union Minister and senior BJP leader Manohar Lal greets former AAP leader Kailash Gahlot as he joins the BJP, in New Delhi on Monday.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Barely hours after he quit the Aam Aadmi Party and the Delhi government, Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot joined the BJP. Refuting allegations that he was hounded by investigative agencies, Gahlot said that he left AAP because it was no longer the party that he had joined and their ideals had changed.
Senior party faces including ML Khattar, Dushyant Gautam, Baijayant Panda as well as BJP state president Virendra Sachdeva and BJP Mp Harsh Malhotra were present at Gahlot’s joining.
Stating that it was a “difficult” decision for him as he had joined the AAP during the Anna Movement, Gahlot said that there was no “pressure” from investigative agencies.
“People may think that my joining has been an overnight decision, or is due to pressure. But I have never taken any decision due to pressure. There is a narrative being built that I did this due to pressure from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Enforcement Directorate (ED). I want to tell them that, since 2015, as a member of AAP, I have served as an MLA and then as Minister - I have never done anything due to pressure,” Gahlot said.
He said that the reason he left were ideological differences. “The fact is that AAP has compromised its values. Political ambitions have overtaken its commitment to the people,” he added.
In his resignation letter to AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, which he sent out on Sunday, Gahlot said that apart from corruption cases like “Sheeshmahal”, the AAP has failed to stem the pollution problem in Delhi.
AAP insiders indicated that Gahlot left due to a rift, despite being a close aide of Kejriwal, he lost the transport portfolio in December. While was in line to replace Kejriwal in the top job, it was Atishi who was named as the chief minister by the party.