Atishi behind Kailash Gahlot's exit? How Delhi minister's resignation from AAP unfolded

Kailash Gahlot

Once seen as a trusted aide of former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Kailash Gahlot's resignation from the party as well as the government may seem abrupt and shocking. However, a closer look at the happenings behind the scenes over the past year or so reveal that the exit was a disaster waiting to happen for AAP.

On Sunday, the senior AAP leader who served as the Transport Minister in the CM Atishi-led Delhi government, resigned from the party as well as a minister. His resignation letter, addressed to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, pointed to the "grave challenges" facing the party and criticized the leadership over several key issues.

"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 deliver basic services to the people of Delhi," he wrote in his resignation letter.

How the discord began

It all began with the redistribution of portfolios held by former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who held 18 departments at the time of his arrest. Most of the portfolios were assigned to Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi, leaders much junior and inexperienced as compared to Gahlot.

It took a while, however, for the discord to come out in the open. In December last year, the Law and Justice Department, which was overseen by Gahlot, was transferred to Atishi -- a development seen as the leadership's dwindling trust in the Najafgarh MLA.

Tensions between Gahlot and the top brass also emerged during the Independence Day flag-hoisting controversy, where Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena intervened to assign the responsibility to Gahlot, bypassing Atishi, who was initially chosen by Kejriwal.

The glaring signals

The past few months saw the AAP top brass missing from the events of ministries held by Gahlot, despite having 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. In August this year, when tensions between the AAP leadership and the L-G and BJP was at an all-time high over the arrest of its top brass, Gahlot was inviting Saxena to events and also attending all the meetings called by the L-G.

The final straw

While the skirmishes between Gahlot and the AAP leadership signaled a deepening crisis within the party, matters came to a pass when Kejriwal decided to resign from his post and appointed Atishi as his successor.

The development angered not just Gahlot, but many within the party who saw the passing of the baton to Atishi, a first-time MLA chosen in 2020, as an affront. Atishi was also handed a majority of the portfolios, further distancing leaders, including Gahlot, from the party top brass.

News18 reports citing sources as saying that the 50-year-old leader 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)," the report quoted sources as saying.

The AAP on Sunday blamed Gahlot for buckling under pressure from central agencies and claimed that he left the party to join BJP. Notably, 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.

On his part, Gahlot cited controversies like the 'sheeshmahal' issue, referring to the lavish spending on Kejriwal's official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road, and the "grave challenges" facing the party as among the reasons behind his departure.

Meanwhile, Kaliash Gahlot joined the Bharatiya Janata Party Monday afternoon at the party's Delhi headquarters. He was welcomed to the party-fold by senior like Manohar Khattar and Baijayant Jay Panda, among others. The BJP termed Gahlot's joining as a turning point in Delhi's politics.