NEW DELHI :  Former Delhi Transport Minister and one of the most senior leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party till Sunday, Kailash Gehlot joined the BJP this morning.
He joined the rival Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. Mr Khattar described Mr Gehlot’s joining the party as “a turning point” ahead of the assembly elections. Arvind Kejriwal has refrained from making any comment on Gehlot’s resignation.
While joining the BJP, Kailash Gehlot said that efforts are being made to spread the wrong impression that my decision is the result of pressure from ED, CBI, the truth is that AAP compromised its values. If the government, its Chief Minister and ministers keep fighting with the central government, then Delhi cannot develop. If we have to develop Delhi, it is necessary to maintain good relations. He said that I am sure that Delhi can develop shoulder to shoulder with the BJP government at the Center, that is why I have joined BJP.
Gehlot was referring to repeated claims made by the AAP and other opposition parties – that the BJP uses federal agencies such as the CBI or the ED to harass and intimidate opposition political leaders, especially ahead of elections, either to destabilise or discredit them and gain additional votes. Mr Gehlot attributed the AAP’s “declining credibility” on various issues for his decision to resign.
Mr Gehlot’s move comes less than three months ahead of the Assembly election, which is widely expected to be a face-off between his former and current political bosses. Gehlot hails from the Jat community and his joining the saffron party is believed to benefit the BJP.
Kailash Gehlot was widely considered to be one of Mr Kejriwal’s closest aides, especially when the former chief minister was in Delhi’s Tihar jail in the alleged liquor policy scam. And when Mr Kejriwal stepped down after getting bail, Mr Gehlot was on the shortlist to replace the party chief. But it all appeared to be unraveling in the last few months. Her removal from the post of law minister was seen as the end of her relationship with the party. This happened in December last year, when the Delhi government was embroiled in Cabinet work after Manish Sisodia resigned.
The headline-grabbing element in the impasse, however, was a difference of opinion over who would hoist the national flag during the official Independence Day celebrations in Delhi. Mr Kejriwal, who was in jail at the time, assigned the job to Atishi – a choice that made clear her prominence in the party and led to speculation that she might replace him (as happened). Kailash Gahlot, a lawyer, represents the Najafgarh assembly seat in the capital, which he has held since 2015.
On joining BJP, Kailash Gehlot said on the allegations of ED-CBI pressure, “Some people think that this decision has been taken overnight or I have taken this decision under someone’s pressure. Every person who is thinking that this decision has been taken under someone’s pressure, I want to say that till date I have never done any work under anyone’s pressure. I am hearing that an attempt is being made to create a narrative that he has resigned under pressure from ED or CBI. This is all a misunderstanding.”

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