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.
In October 2022, Gautam resigned from his position as a Delhi cabinet minister following controversy over his attendance at a mass conversion event where approximately 10,000 people converted to Buddhism. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had accused him of insulting Hindu gods and demanded his removal. Though Gautam apologised and shared his resignation letter publicly.
Gautam’s defection marks the third high-profile exit from AAP in recent months, following the departure of MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar and former minister Raaj Kumar Anand. These defections could weaken AAP’s position ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
For Congress, Gautam’s entry is a major boost. As a prominent Dalit leader, he could help the party rebuild its base among the Dalit community, particularly as the Congress works to regain ground in Delhi.
With political alliances and defections reshaping the landscape, the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections and Delhi’s 2025 Assembly polls are set to be a crucial test for both AAP and Congress.
