'Principles Eroded, Promises Unfulfilled': Kailash Gahlot On Leaving AAP, Says Kejriwal No Longer An 'Aam Aadmi'

Former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Kailash Gahlot has said that he quit AAP because the "principles and values for which we joined the party have begun to get eroded".

Gahlot had resigned on Sunday (18 November) as Delhi minister and AAP membership, saying that political ambitions have overtaken the party's commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled. 

On Monday (19 November), Gahlot joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In his resignation letter, Gahlot took a veiled dig at party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, referring to "many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the 'Sheeshmahal' -- a term used by the BJP to referring to the Chief Minister's residence renovated during Kejriwal's term.

Now, in an interview with The Indian Express, Gahlot said that Kejriwal is not an Aam Aadmi (common man) anymore.

"I left AAP... due to my disillusionment with the party’s core values, its failure to fulfil the promises it made to the people, and lack of action taken to address those promises. As I have been saying, the principles and values for which we joined the party have begun to get eroded. These issues gradually built up over time, and eventually, the moment came to say goodbye," he said.

He added that there are several workers and leaders in the AAP who feel the same.

On why he joined the BJP, Gahlot said, "There is nothing to say… My public life is like an open book… there is nothing to hide… One can ask, ‘why did you join AAP first then’… So, you get inspired by few things like what is happening in the country, which party is working in the right direction… You start feeling it and then you take a call…".

When asked about usage of words like "Sheesh Mahal" in his resignation letter, the former AAP minister said, "‘Sheesh Mahal’ is used by everyone now… Nobody calls it the former CM’s residence or 6, Flag Staff Road bungalow… Arvind Kejriwal has a different personality I think… He is not like any other CM and AAP was not formed like any other party… These are the core values I am talking about…".

"The force that his [Kejriwal] driving a WagonR and that of his simplicity had was what had brought lakhs and crores of people together with him. But what we are seeing today in the newspapers, is it matching with that… So, Kejriwal is not an aam aadmi anymore," he added.

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