New Delhi: In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party few months ahead of Delhi Assembly Polls, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot resigned from his post as well as the party's primary membership on Sunday, citing 'internal challenges' and 'unfulfilled promises', including the failure to clean the Yamuna.
In a letter to party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Gahlot wrote, "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...It is now obvious that real progress for Delhi cannot happen if the Delhi Government spends majority of its time fighting with the Centre. I find myself left with no option but to step away from AAP and hence I resign from primary membership of Aam Aadmi Party."
The senior AAP leader in his resignation letter criticized the shift in the party's focus from advocating for the rights of the people to "advancing its own political agenda", a shift he said has hindered AAP's ability to provide basic services to the residents of Delhi.
"Let me start with sincerely thanking you for having given me the honour of serving and representing the people of Delhi as an MLA and a Minister. However, at the same time, I also want to share with you that today the Aam Aadmi Party faces grave challenges. Challenges from within, to the very values that brought us together to AAP," Gahlot wrote in his letter to Kejriwal.
"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," he said 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 the majority of its time fighting with the Centre," read the letter.
Gahlot further announced his resignation from AAP, stating that his political journey began with a commitment to serve the people of Delhi, and he intends to continue that mission. He also extended his best wishes to AAP leadership for their health and future, while thanking his party colleagues and well-wishers for their support during his tenure.
"I had started my political journey with the commitment to serve the people of Delhi and I want to continue doing that. This 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. I wish you the best for your health and future. I also thank all my party colleagues and well-wishers for their wishes and kindness throughout this journey," said Gahlot.
