News Brief
Kailash Gahlot with AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal (Image via Twitter).
In a big setback for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of Delhi Assembly elections, Senior minister Kailash Gahlot and long-term party leader Kailash Gahlot has resigned.
Gahlot held crucial portfolios in the Delhi government, such as Home, Transport, IT, and Women and Child Development.
In his resignation letter to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, the 50-year-old leader highlighted "grave challenges" that the party is facing.
"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.
Taking a veiled dig at Kejriwal, Gahlot referred to "many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the 'Sheeshmahal' -- a term used by the BJP to referring to the Chief Minister's residence renovated during Kejriwal's term.
Gahlot said AAP has been "fighting for own political agenda" and 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 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 fed 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," he said.