Kailash Gahlot

Led by Arvind Kejriwal, AAP is campaigning to secure its third consecutive term after winning 62 out of 70 seats in the last Assembly elections

The AAP Tuesday accused the BJP of having an "anti-Jat mindset" while citing the "delay" in the swearing-in of Raghuvinder Shokeen as a minister in the Delhi government. Shokeen's appointment as minister, to replace Kailash Gahlot who quit AAP and joined the BJP, was announced by the ruling party last month. In a joint press conference, AAP leaders questioned the "delay" in the swearing-in of Shokeen, an MLA from the Jat-dominated Nangloi constituency in the city. "The BJP's anti-Jat mindset has been exposed," AAP's chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar charged. Even 20 days after his nomination, Shokeen has still not been sworn in as a cabinet minister, she said. "The AAP government on November 18 sent the file to appoint MLA Raghuvinder Shokeen as a Cabinet minister but it hasn't been approved yet," Kakkar claimed. Questioning the "delay", another AAP leader Anurag Dhandha said, "Does the BJP not want a Jat leader to become a minister?" The file for the appointment of a

Gahlot submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel

Appointment of turncoat Kailash Gahlot was made by Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva with the approval of the party's senior leadership

During protest, BJP leader Kailash Gehlot hit out at AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying the 'Sheesh Mahal' issue is indeed unfortunate

Gahlot's shock resignation followed just months before the Delhi Assembly elections. He joined the BJP a day later on Monday and cited internal challenges in the AAP as the reason behind his decision

Gahlot criticised AAP for its 'constant fight against the Centre' and 'failure to deliver promises' citing these as reasons for his disillusionment

Former Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot joined the BJP on Monday, a day after resigning from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He joined the BJP at its headquarters in the presence of Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Harsh Malhotra, Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva and national media head Anil Baluni among others. Khattar described Gahlot's joining as a "turning point" in the politics of the national capital. The BJP is hopeful that Gahlot's induction into the party will boost its prospects in the upcoming assembly polls as it looks to wrest power from the AAP. Sachdeva said Gahlot, a two-term MLA and an advocate, is a leader known for his good work. Gahlot quit the AAP on Sunday, alleging "political ambitions" have overtaken the party's commitment towards people. "Instead of fighting for people's rights, we have increasingly only been fighting for our own political agenda," the 50-year-old said in his resignation letter to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. Gahlot, a pro

In a setback to the AAP ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, its senior leader and city Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot quit the party on Sunday. In his resignation letter to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, the 50-year-old pointed to the "grave challenges" facing the party Gahlot, a prominent figure in the party, also took a jab at Kejriwal while flagging some "awkward" and "embarrassing" controversies like 'sheeshmahal', saying it makes everyone doubt if "we still believe in being the 'Aam Aadmi'". Gahlot's reference to the 'sheeshmahal' controversy comes against the backdrop of BJP leaders' charge that Kejriwal spent crores on lavish items and modern facilities at his former official residence at 6 Flagstaff Road. The BJP had dubbed Kejriwal's earlier residence as 'sheeshmahal'. Gahlot, the MLA from Najafgarh, tendered his resignation from the council of ministers with immediate effect. Official sources said the resignation was accepted by Delhi Chief Minister ...

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Saturday inaugurated the world's first all-women bus depot, named 'Sakhi Depot' in Sarojini Nagar, an official statement said. The initiative features an entirely female workforce, including drivers, conductors, and other staff. It is part of a broader vision to create a more inclusive and gender-equal work environment, an official statement of the Delhi Transport Department said. The Sakhi Depot employs 223 women, comprising 89 drivers and 134 conductors, operating a fleet of 70 buses, including 40 air-conditioned and 30 non-air-conditioned buses, that serve 17 routes across Delhi, it added. During the inauguration, Minister Gahlot highlighted the significance of the depot as a symbol of breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields and as the first step in a series of such initiatives under the 'Sakhi' programme aimed at expanding opportunities for women in public transport. Establishing the Sakhi Depot required overcoming ...

Delhi government is considering to replace the current smart card system on driving licenses and registration certificates with electronic versions that could be downloaded like Aadhaar cards, officials said on Wednesday. The new move would allow citizens to download and print their e-DL and e-RC in a format similar to the Aadhaar Card, featuring a unique ID and QR code that could be used by traffic police for verification, they said. A senior official of the Delhi Transport department said that the electronic documents could either be printed or accessed via apps like DigiLocker or mParivahan, offering citizens a convenient way to present their documents when required. In 2023-24, Delhi's transport department issued 1.6 lakh licenses and 6.69 lakh RCs as of May this year, and under the new plan, only e-DLs and e-RCs would be issued, he added. The downloadable PDF format, available on the Parivahan Sewa portal, would include a QR code to confirm authenticity, and links would also b

Following this order, posters featuring former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will now be taken down from DTC buses

Delhiites will soon be able make online booking of seats up to one week in advance in a premium AC electric buses, track the live location and route of the bus, view its expected time of arrival and make cashless payments. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday inspected the first lot of buses launched under the Delhi Motor Vehicles Licensing of Aggregator (Premium Buses) Scheme 2023, which aims to combat pollution and enhance public transport in the national capital. Gahlot even drove a bus around the Rajghat depot during his inspection. The buses are part of Uber Shuttle, the latest app-based service offered by the multinational ride-hailing company. "The Delhi Premium Bus Scheme was designed not only to make public transport more comfortable and attractive but also to reduce air pollution by encouraging a shift from private vehicles to eco-friendly public transport options. The introduction of Uber Shuttle under the scheme marks a new era in urban transportation for

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday called gig workers of food delivery companies as 'Pradushan Yodha' (warriors against pollution) as he spoke about the importance of electric vehicles. Addressing thousands of delivery partners, commonly known as 'gig workers', at an event organised by delivery companies Zomato and Blinkit at Talkatora Stadium, he called them the backbone of India's economy. "You are ensuring that millions of people can receive household essentials in minutes and enjoy meals from their favourite restaurants with just a click. Your dedication keeps our cities running smoothly. "Your commitment to your work and to protecting the environment is truly inspiring. The Kejriwal government is with you every step of the way. Together, let's make Delhi pollution-free by adopting electric vehicles (EVs)," he said. Gahlot emphasised the importance of transitioning to electric vehicles and said they are not just a technological change but also a crucial move to

Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot, who hoisted the national flag at the Chhatrasal stadium here on the 78th Independence Day, hailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "freedom fighter" who has been "punished" for working for people. Gahlot said he was distressed that an elected chief minister could not hoist the national flag because he is in jail. "Standing under this flag, I can say proudly that Arvind Kejriwal is a modern day freedom fighter because he accepted the punishment to work for the people of Delhi by going to the jail, but did not bow down or break in front of the anti-democratic forces," he said. Gahlot said the country did not get freedom just so that an elected chief minister could be put in jail, adding it got it to defeat illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and diseases. Kejriwal began the effort to free the country from these ills by providing quality education, healthcare, free electricity and world class transport facilities to the people in Delhi, he ...

Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot hoisted the national flag at Chhatrasal stadium on Independence Day, the event marked by the absence of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was dubbed by him as a "modern day freedom fighter". Gahlot said he was distressed that the elected Delhi chief minister could not hoist the flag because he is in jail. "Standing under this flag, I can say proudly that Arvind Kejriwal is a modern day freedom fighter because he accepted the punishment to work for the people of Delhi by going to the jail, but did not bow down or break in front of the anti-democratic forces," he said. The country did not get freedom just so an elected chief minister could be put in jail; it got it to defeat illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, and diseases, he said. Kejriwal began the effort to free the country from these ills, by providing quality education, healthcare, free electricity and world class transport facilities to the people in Delhi, he asserted. Kejriwal was ...

Lt Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday nominated Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag at the state Independence Day event, officials at Raj Niwas said. The choice that bypasses several other senior government leaders is likely to set a stage for another round of tussle between the AAP dispensation and the LG Secretariat. "Lieutenant Governor is pleased to nominate Minister (Home), GNCTD, Kailash Gahlot to unfurl the National Flag at the State level Independence day celebrations at Chhatrasaal Stadium. Necessary arrangements may be made accordingly," LG's secretary Ashish Kundra said in a written communication to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Earlier in the day, the Delhi government's general administration department refused to implement department minister Gopal Rai's direction for the hosting of national flag by Education Minister Atishi.

Petrol pump owners on Thursday wrote to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, seeking a meeting with him to revise PUCC rates for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in the national capital. The letter comes days after the Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association (DPDA) shut down nearly 600 PUC centres functioning at petrol pumps, saying the hike was not commensurate with operational costs. On July 11, the Delhi government increased the PUC certificate charges for petrol, CNG and diesel vehicles after a gap of about 13 years. The hike ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 40. "Sir, most of the PUC centres have operated the last few years in losses to avoid any inconvenience to the general public. However, due to this extreme unviability, many PUC centres have been forced to surrender their licenses in the last few months. The Managing Committee of the DPDA had thus resolved to close PUC centres across Delhi from July 15 in light of the "arbitrary and grossly insufficient hike", it said.

Delhi govt FY25 Budget aims to provide Rs 1,000 in monthly assistance for eligible women aged above 18. Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh have drafted similar schemes