Kailash Gahlot, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and minister in the Delhi Government, has resigned, citing deep concerns over the party’s direction and internal challenges, saying that the political ambitions within the party have overshadowed its core commitment to serving the people.
In a letter to party convener Arvind Kejriwal, Gahlot said, “Aam Aadmi Party faces grave challenges. Challenges from within, to the very values that brought us together to AAP.”
He said, “Political ambitions have overtaken our commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled. Take for example the YAMUNA, which we had promised to transform into a clean river, but never got around to doing it. Now the Yamuna River is perhaps even more polluted than ever before.”
Apart from this, now there are many “embarrassing and awkward controversies like the Sheeshmahal”, which are now making everyone doubt whether “we still believe in being the Aam Aadmi”, he wrote in his letter.
“Another painful point has been the fact that 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 even deliver basic services to the people of Delhi. It is now obvious that real progress for Delhi cannot happen if the Delhi Government spends majority of its time fighting with the Centre.”
He further said, “I had started my political journey with the commitment to serve the people of Delhi and I want to continue doing that. Which is why, I find myself left with no option but to step away from AAP and hence I resign from primary membership of Aam Aadmi Party.”
