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News18 has learnt that 50-year-old Gahlot was expecting a better position and power after the top leadership went to jail and a reshuffle took place in the party but was sidelined
The AAP on Sunday said Kailash Gahlot was under pressure from central agencies and left the party to join BJP. (PTI)
Kailash Gahlot, who was an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and cabinet minister until Sunday, did not decide to quit the party overnight. Instead, several incidents and decisions in the last few months, particularly after the arrest of the party’s top leadership, “forced him to quit”, News18 has learnt.
For the last few months, the AAP top brass was missing from the events of ministries held by Gahlot, even when they had walked out of jail. However, Gahlot made it a point to attend all events where AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was present to ensure a show of strength.
While Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi were missing from major transport-related events, it was L-G VK Saxena who was a constant fixture at the programmes.
The fissures in the relationship became more visible in August when the AAP leadership was attacking the L-G and BJP for the arrest of the top brass. Gahlot, meanwhile, was inviting Saxena to events and also attending all the meetings called by the L-G.
The L-G was also the chief guest at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the multi-level electric bus depot in the city though Kejriwal was the chief minister then and was behind bars. Even for the inauguration of the buses, it was Saxena who took part in the flagging-off, making the AAP’s absence even more conspicuous.
What added to the skirmishes was the AAP’s decision to nominate “newcomer” Atishi instead of Gahlot or any senior minister for flag-hoisting on August 15 at the state-level Independence Day event as Kejriwal was in jail. However, Saxena, with ultimate power to decide, nominated Gahlot to hoist the national flag, surpassing the decision of the jailed chief minister. The L-G cited that Gahlot was suitable as he was Delhi’s home minister.
Further, when Kejriwal decided to resign, he made Atishi the chief minister, a dream for many in the party, angering Gahlot.
Sources told News18 that several AAP leaders were unhappy with the decision to give the top spot to Atishi — a first-time MLA elected only in 2020. Not just the chief minister’s chair, Atishi was also given the maximum portfolios in the cabinet.
News18 has learnt that 50-year-old Gahlot was expecting a better position and power after the top leadership went to jail and a reshuffle took place in the party. “He was the senior-most leader in terms of age after the top three cabinet ministers were arrested one after the other and resigned. He should have been given more power and position but that did not happen. Later, three of his important ministries and departments were also taken away from him (law, justice and legislative affairs and revenue),” sources said.
They said even if the party wanted to promote a female face, there were many in the assembly who had more experience than Atishi and could have been given a chance.
“There is a certain system that should be followed. You cannot give so much power to newcomers while those with experience sit awaiting better opportunities,” an AAP leader said, seeking anonymity.
Until the top cabinet ministers were arrested — first Satyendar Jain, then Manish Sisodia and later Kejriwal — it was Sisodia who had maximum ministries. In February 2023, Sisodia resigned and eight of his ministries, including finance, went to Gahlot.
It was only in March 2023 that Atishi, along with Saurabh Bharadwaj, made an entry into the cabinet. Atishi was given education, PWD, power and tourism, while Bharadwaj was assigned health, water and industries and urban development.
However, over the next few months, Atishi rose in stature, “making several senior AAP leaders feel side-lined”.
Gahlot, A Quiet Worker
While AAP leaders were vocal against the Centre and L-G on an almost everyday basis, Gahlot was comparatively silent and stayed away from name-calling, blame game or allegations.
He is also among the few AAP leaders who managed to have a working relationship with the officials and never came out in public citing problems with his officials, unlike many AAP cabinet ministers. The AAP leaders’ power tussle with the executive had reached an acme when Kejriwal and three of his cabinet colleagues staged a sit-in protest at the L-G’s house for almost 10 days in June 2018.
The protest ended after civil servants in the Delhi administration resumed attending meetings called by AAP ministers.
The AAP on Sunday said Gahlot was under pressure from central agencies and left the party to join BJP. Gahlot has been facing pressure from agencies since 2018, much before Kejriwal or his deputy Sisodia.
The AAP leader was under the scanner of the income tax department, which had conducted searches at several premises linked to him in connection with an alleged tax-evasion case. He was also questioned in the liquor scam case and DTC bus scam case.
Despite being allocated a house by the government, Gahlot never shifted and stayed put at his private residence in Vasant Kunj.
While the leader has not announced his next move yet, there are speculations that he may join BJP.
