“Today, standing under this tricolor, I can say with great pride that Arvind Kejriwal is a modern freedom fighter.”
These words were used for Arvind Kejriwal by Kailash Gehlot, former Transport Minister of Delhi and leader of Aam Aadmi Party.
Three months ago, on 15 August 2024, Kailash Gehlot hoisted the flag at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi and said that ‘anti-democratic forces’ have conspired to stop Kejriwal by sending him to jail.
Three months after this statement, on Sunday, Kailash quit the post of minister and also resigned from the primary membership of AAP. He has accused the party convener Arvind Kejriwal of ‘not fulfilling the promises made to the public’.
Now Kailash Gehlot has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
When Arvind Kejriwal was asked a question about Kailash Gehlot in a press conference on Sunday, he remained silent and shifted the mic to MLA Durgesh Pathak sitting next to him.
Durgesh Pathak said, “For the last few months, ED used to call Kailash ji every day, he was facing IT and ED raids. So he had no way out, he had to go to Bharatiya Janata Party.”
However, while joining BJP, Kailash Gehlot said that the talk of ED or CBI is a misunderstanding.
The story behind the resignation
15 September 2024. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was addressing party workers at an event after coming out of jail.
More than a dozen leaders including Kejriwal were present on the stage. Then suddenly Kejriwal announced his resignation from the post of Chief Minister. Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Kailash Gehlot were also present during this time.
After Kejriwal’s resignation, these three names were being discussed for the post of Chief Minister but in the end Atishi became the Chief Minister.
Before announcing the resignation, Kejriwal had said an important thing which is being described as an important link in Kailash Gehlot’s resignation.
Kejriwal had said, “Three days before 15 August, I had written a letter to LG sahab that since I am in jail, Atishi ji should be allowed to hoist the flag in my place. That letter was not delivered to LG sahab and I was issued a warning.”
After this statement by Kejriwal, other leaders including Sanjay Singh started saying ‘shame-shame’, but Kailash Gehlot, sitting right behind Sanjay Singh, was silent.
Kejriwal wanted Atishi’s name, but Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena nominated Kailash Gehlot to hoist the flag and Gehlot also went. Media reports said that this incident was seen as a feeling of distrust within the party.
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On one hand, the Lieutenant Governor’s conflict with the Aam Aadmi Party was increasing continuously, while on the other hand, Gehlot was seen working together with VK Saxena in his well-known silent style.
During this time, Gehlot was successful in getting policies like cab aggregator and premium bus service passed while his colleagues were accusing the Lieutenant Governor of not working.
Senior journalist Pramod Joshi says, “One thing is very clear that the relationship has been good. The flag hoisting incident shows the relationship of LG with Gehlot. Within the party, Kailash Gehlot is a person of that stream that there should be no confrontation with the central government and he has also said this in his resignation. All these things point towards the fact that perhaps he had a soft corner for the BJP.”
In February 2023, Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain resigned from the Delhi cabinet. Then both were in jail on charges of alleged liquor scam. After this Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj were included in the cabinet.
In June 2023, Atishi was given the responsibility of Revenue, Planning and Finance Department, which was earlier being handled by Kailash Gehlot. In March 2023, Gehlot also presented the budget as Finance Minister in the Delhi Assembly.
In December 2023, Atishi also got the responsibility of the Law Department, which was also with Kailash Gehlot and this year Atishi was made the Chief Minister.
These developments were seen as Kailash Gehlot’s displeasure in political circles. While joining BJP, Kailash Gehlot has also said that this is not a one-day decision.
Senior journalist Krishna Mohan Sharma gives two main reasons behind this.
Krishna Mohan Sharma says, “The first reason is Arvind Kejriwal’s dictatorship because there is no such thing as status according to cadre and position in Aam Aadmi Party. The government will run according to what Arvind Kejriwal likes. Gehlot was a minister for ten years and he had become senior but you got Atishi’s lateral entry and made her the Chief Minister. Whoever was working with you with dedication will be hurt. This is the reason why he resigned.” “The second reason is the falling popularity graph of Aam Aadmi Party and the slipping support base. Gehlot is very intelligent. He might have felt that this party will not be able to win the elections, so it is possible that he resigned from the post of minister and joined BJP.”
#WATCH | Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot says, "By becoming Hanuman of Arvind Kejriwal my priority is to complete all the pending works and ensure that Arvind Kejriwal becomes the Chief Minister of Delhi again…There is nothing wrong with it. (CM Atishi leaving the CM's chair… pic.twitter.com/qjo5bqxFD3
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2024
How big a blow to the Aam Aadmi Party?
A few weeks ago, Kailash Gehlot was talking about making Arvind Kejriwal the CM again and calling himself ‘Kejriwal’s Hanuman’ and talking about completing the pending works.
On Monday, when Arvind Kejriwal was once again asked about Kailash Gehlot, he said, “He is free to go wherever he wants.”
According to the report published in the Indian Express, “Party sources say that the top leadership of the party was angry with Kejriwal and this was not the first time. The party knew that Gehlot could leave the party and his replacement was found from the Jat community itself.”
The report quoted a senior AAP leader as saying, “Gehlot was not able to perform impressively in his seat in all three – the 2020 assembly elections, the 2017 MCD elections and the recent Lok Sabha elections. After this, the matter went further due to the flag controversy.”
What damage can be caused by Kailash Gehlot, who was once close to Kejriwal and comes from the Jat community, leaving the party?
Senior journalist Pramod Joshi says, “Perception matters a lot in politics and AAP has suffered a big blow at the level of perception because a senior leader and cabinet minister has left the party. After Kejriwal’s resignation from the post of Chief Minister, the party is already struggling on the perception front. Before this, the case of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal is also going on. In the meantime, if one more person leaves, then AAP will face a big problem before the elections.”
Within 24 hours of resigning, Kailash Gehlot has joined BJP on Monday. Gehlot joined the party in the presence of leaders like Delhi BJP state president Virendra Sachdeva, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Baijayant Panda.
What will Kailash Gehlot benefit from joining BJP?
Senior journalist Ashutosh says, “Kailash Gehlot is not a mass leader, so BJP will not get any special benefit. Wherever Gehlot contests elections, BJP may get benefit there. However, this is a setback for AAP at the time of elections. If Manish Sisodia or Sanjay Singh, Gopal Rai had left, it would have been a different matter. He was an MLA and became a minister.” What are the ED and IT cases? Ever since Kailash Gehlot resigned, Aam Aadmi Party leaders have been saying that he resigned under pressure from ED and CBI. On this, BJP state president Virendra Sachdeva said, “Kejriwal’s team does character assassination in this way of any leader who leaves the party or asks questions.” In 2018, the Income Tax Department raided properties related to Gehlot and claimed tax evasion of more than Rs 100 crore. Kailash had denied it then. In 2019, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached assets worth Rs 1.46 crore of Kailash Gehlot’s brother Harish Gehlot.
In 2021, the BJP had alleged irregularities in the contracts given for the maintenance of 1000 low-floor AC buses. After this, a committee constituted by the then Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had exposed many flaws. After the committee’s report, the Home Ministry recommended a preliminary inquiry by the CBI. Gehlot then held the charge of Transport Minister.
In March 2024, Kailash Gehlot was questioned by the ED regarding the alleged liquor scam. The ED had then said that Vijay Nair, who was arrested in the case, had allegedly stayed at Kailash Gehlot’s official residence.
On this, Gehlot said that ‘Vijay Nair did stay at the house allotted in my name, but I never lived in that bungalow. I live in my own house in Vasant Kunj.’
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 I have never done any work under anyone’s pressure till date. 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.”
Who is Kailash Gehlot?
Born on 22 July 1974 in Mitraon village of Najafgarh in Delhi, Kailash Gehlot used to practice law before joining politics. Gehlot’s family has been living here for the last nine generations.
Kailash Gehlot has practiced law as a lawyer in Delhi High Court for more than 16 years. Between 2005 and 2007, Gehlot was elected as an executive member in the Bar Association of Delhi High Court.
In 2015, Kailash Gehlot contested for the first time from Najafgarh on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket and defeated Bharat Singh of the Indian National Lok Dal by 1555 votes in a close contest.
Gehlot, who was a cabinet minister in the Kejriwal government, was given the responsibility of important ministries like Finance, Revenue and Transport.
In 2020 too, Kailash Gehlot contested from the same seat and defeated BJP’s Ajit Singh. Then the margin of victory and defeat was 6,231 votes.
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