Ex-AAP leader Kailash Gahlot gets big role after switching to BJP, joins Delhi Assembly poll committee

Within a week after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, the former Aam Aadmi Party leader Kailash Gahlot has been appointed as a member of the party's Delhi Assembly Election Coordination Committee, reported ANI on Saturday.

The former Delhi minister had joined the saffron party on Monday, days after resigning from AAP. While joining the party, the politician had took a jibe at the Arvind Kejriwal led-party for deviating from its principle and working for its "political ambitions", reported ANI earlier. 

‘Turning point’ in Delhi politics

Kailash Gehlot joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar. While welcoming Gehlot Khattar called his entry in the party as a “turning point” in the politics of national capital.

The BJP is hopeful that Gahlot's induction into the party will boost its prospects in the upcoming assembly polls as it looks to wrest power from the AAP.

BJP's Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva and national media head Anil Baluni among others were also present at the time when Gehlot joined the party. Sachdeva applauded Gehlot for his good work and welcomed him in the party.

‘AAP fighting for its own political agenda’

While joining the party Gahlot took a jibe at former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and said that his party has been fighting more for its own political agenda, 

"Instead of fighting for people's rights, we have increasingly only been fighting for our own political agenda," the 50-year-old said in his resignation letter to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. He also pointed at some recent controversies around Arvind Kejriwal like 'sheeshmahal', and said that it makes everyone doubt if "we still believe in being the 'Aam Aadmi'".

Meanwhile, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed that Kailash Gahlot resigned from the party after the BJP put an allegation of ₹112 crores on him and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted several raids on his home in the last few days, reported ANI.

“Kailash Gahlot's resignation is a part of the BJP's dirty politics and conspiracy. The BJP government conducted ED raids on him. Income tax raids were conducted at his residence for several days. BJP put an allegation of ₹112 crores on him. Pressure was created on him, due to which Kailash Gahlot had to take this step. He did not have any option other than joining the BJP,” ANI quoted Sanjay Singh on November 17.