Ex-BJP MLA Anil Jha joins AAP shortly after Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot’s exit

Former BJP MLA Anil Jha joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday in the presence of the party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. This came after Delhi Minister and AAP MLA Kailash Gahlot announced his resignation from the party, citing unfulfilled promises and recent controversies as reasons for stepping down.
Jha, a two-time BJP MLA from the Kirari Assembly constituency in North West Delhi, has joined the AAP, citing disillusionment with the saffron party’s leadership and policies. Known for his strong grassroots presence, Jha’s move is seen as a potential boost for AAP in an area long considered a BJP stronghold.
Jha praised Arvind Kejriwal, saying, “If there is one person who has worked for the Purvanchali community Delhi, it is Arvind Kejriwal.” He noted that residents in the region lived with inadequate infrastructure, including unauthorised water pipes and faulty sewer lines. “In 10 years under Arvind Kejriwal, drinking water reached every household,” Jha added.
Welcoming Jha into the party, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Anil Jha is considered one of the biggest leaders of the Purvanchali community in Delhi. People from UP and Bihar come to Delhi for education and employment. For years, both the BJP and Congress ignored their needs. When I became Chief Minister, we initiated development work in these colonies to improve their living conditions.”
Shortly after joining AAP, Anil Jha took a jibe at his former party, saying that a few leaders in BJP’s Deljhi unit are like “spoilt sons” and the central team of BJP is like an “old father” who is unable to manage them.
Purvanchali voters, once seen as a Congress stronghold, shifted significantly toward the AAP in the 2015 assembly polls, helping 13 AAP leaders from the community win the seats. With Anil Jha joining its ranks, AAP has moved one step further in strengthening its hold on the Purvanchali community ahead of next year’s polls in the national capital.