Day after quitting AAP, Gahlot joins BJP
A day after Kailash Gahlot quit the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Cabinet, the former state Transport Minister on Monday joined the BJP in the presence of top saffron brass led by Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Inducting Gahlot into the BJP, Khattar said, “This is a turning point in Delhi politics.”
Khattar stated that Gahlot decided to join the BJP after evaluating the internal systems, policies and the BJP’s spirit of service under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He added that Gahlot, a two-time MLA from Najafgarh, shares a close connection with Haryana.
“His Assembly constituency may be geographically located in Delhi, but for all other practical purposes it is part of Haryana,” Khattar said, drawing a link between himself and Gahlot, whose entry into the BJP on the eve of the 2025 Delhi elections comes as a setback to the ruling AAP.
Accepting the primary membership of the BJP, Gahlot rubbished AAP allegations that he had joined the BJP under duress and said he had never in his life acted under anyone’s pressure or force.
At the BJP headquarters, Gahlot dismissed allegations of pressure from agencies like the ED or CBI, calling them baseless. He said, “Those who know me are aware that I have never acted under anyone’s pressure. I have willingly joined the BJP, inspired by PM Modi’s policies and disillusioned with the AAP, which was founded to serve the people of Delhi but has compromised its values.”
He added that he was voicing the frustration of thousands of AAP workers who had joined the party with a purpose, leaving their vocations to support the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement.
“It is unfortunate to see party leaders prioritising personal ambitions over serving the people of Delhi,” Gahlot said.
He emphasised that no state could progress if its government spent all its time in conflict with the Centre, neglecting the welfare of its citizens. Gahlot added that he would fulfil any responsibility entrusted to him by the BJP.
Also present during his induction were BJP Delhi poll in-charge Baijayant Panda, national general secretary and Delhi in-charge Dushyant Gautam and BJP media in-charge Anil Baluni.
