Aam Aadmi Party Shakeup: Why Kailash Gahlot’s Decision To Quit Wasn’t On A Whim

The sudden resignation of Kailash Gahlot, a 50-year-old Delhi government minister and a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has raised eyebrows in party circles. News18's investigation reveals that Gahlot's decision to quit was not taken on a whim but was forced by a series of incidents over the last few months.

Sources close to the party say Gahlot was expecting a bigger role after the top leadership was jailed and a reshuffle took place. However, he was passed over for key positions in the cabinet, much to his disappointment.

The AAP's decision to nominate newcomer Atishi as its chief minister for flag-hoisting on Independence Day instead of Gahlot was seen as a significant snub. The party finally gave Gahlot a chance to hoist the national flag but that too was an act of courtesy by LG VK Saxena, who cited Gahlot's suitability for the post due to his tenure as Delhi's home minister.

Gahlot had been making a quiet worker impression in comparison with other party leaders. Unlike many AAP cabinet ministers, he rarely faced problems with officials and was known for maintaining a cordial relationship with civil servants. His decision not to have a public spat with the authorities set him apart from his colleagues.

However, after Atishi became chief minister, several senior AAP leaders began to feel left out. This led to a power tussle within the party, which took the form of protests and discussions over the role of the LG in governance procedures.

Gahlot had been facing pressure since 2018, ahead of Kejriwal or his deputy Manish Sisodia. The AAP has learned that Gahlot was subjected to agency pressure on allegations related to multiple scams - tax evasion, liquor scam, and DTC bus scam.

Sources revealed that when the party decided to make Atishi the chief minister, many in the assembly felt their chances were being ignored for giving her top posts without a formal induction process. There is an underlying concern among AAP leaders about what is considered "a system that should be followed" in terms of promotions, particularly given Atishi's limited experience.

News18 was informed of eight separate ministries taken away from Gahlot following Sisodia's resignation, including law, justice and legislative affairs, revenue, finance, power, education, PWD, and tourism.