New Delhi:In a significant political development, Rajendra Pal Gautam, former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) cabinet minister and prominent Dalit leader, officially joined the Congress on Friday. Gautam, who represents the Seemapuri constituency in Delhi, made the switch in the presence of Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Devender Yadav, and Pawan Khera.
This move comes at a crucial time, as the AAP and Congress, both part of the INDIA bloc, are engaged in alliance discussions for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Gautam's defection is being viewed as a potential setback for AAP and a strategic gain for the Congress as it looks to strengthen its voter base in the run-up to the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.
Rajendra Pal Gautam, a lawyer by profession, has been a vocal advocate for Dalit rights. He joined the AAP in 2014 and became an MLA from Seemapuri in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections. During his time in the AAP government, he held several important portfolios, including Social Welfare, SC & ST, Water, and Cooperative Societies.