Delhi minister Raaj Anand resigns; may join BJP, says AAP

Anand, a Dalit leader and a legislator from Patel Nagar, also questioned the lack of representation of Dalits within the party

Delhi social welfare minister Raaj Kumar Anand on Wednesday resigned from the cabinet of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying that a party that was formed to fundamentally fight corruption is now embroiled in corruption itself, and its senior leaders are in jail in cases related to alleged money laundering.

Raaj Kumar Anand announces his resignation on Monday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

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“I am very pained today. I came into politics when Kejriwal said that politics will change and the country will change... AAP was born against corruption, but today this party is embroiled in corruption,” said Anand in a press conference at a restaurant in CP.

Anand, a Dalit leader and a legislator from Patel Nagar, also questioned the lack of representation of Dalits within the party, adding that no leader from the community has been trusted with important responsibilities. Anand clarified he will not immediately join any other party even as AAP leaders said that he quit due to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and federal investigative agencies.

Wednesday’s development came as a jolt to the party which is already muddled in cases of corruption owing to the alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy and the subsequent incarceration of senior party leaders including chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

‘Pressure from agencies’

Senior AAP leaders linked Anand’s decision to pressure from federal agencies, which raided his residence in November last year in connection with a PMLA case.

On November 2, 2023, the Enforcement Directorate raided 12 premises linked to Anand, including his home, as part of a money laundering probe based on a charge sheet filed by the Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence over Customs evasion of more than ₹7 crore. Anand — and at the time AAP — denied all charges.

AAP leaders on Wednesday said that the minister’s resignation was part of the BJP’s attempts to crush the party following Kejriwal’s arrest.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who was granted bail last week in the liquor policy case, alleged that Anand was pressured to resign. “Since the beginning, we have said that the real motive of Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest is to break AAP and crush AAP. The purpose of ED raids is not to probe corruption but to break AAP... BJP was saying Anand is corrupt. Soon you may see BJP leaders welcoming him,” said Singh at a press conference at the party headquarters.

On similar lines, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said in a post on X: “I can only say that I will be saddened that Anand ji became the first victim of ‘Operation Lotus’ in Delhi,” pointing at an alleged move by BJP to poach members of Opposition parties.

Anand, who handled key portfolios in the Delhi government including social welfare, SC&ST, cooperative, land and building, labour, employment and gurudwara elections, sent his resignation to the chief minister’s office.

‘Set to be disqualified’

Delhi government officials aware of the development said Anand will be disqualified as an AAP MLA because, under the 10th schedule of the Constitution, a member of the House belonging to any political party shall be disqualified if he has voluntarily given up membership of the party.

Anand was sworn in as minister in November 2022, replacing Rajendra Pal Gautam, who resigned as social welfare minister after his presence at a religious conversion event sparked a political controversy.

Read here: Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand quits AAP, takes parting shot at Arvind Kejriwal

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leaders hit back at AAP saying that the resignation of the minister proved that the AAP has lost political credibility. “The resignation Anand, who was with Kejriwal, testifies that today both AAP and Kejriwal have lost their political credibility in Delhi” said Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said that AAP’s attitude has changed over the years, leading to turmoil within the party. “AAP is saying this is happening due to pressure. But, this is happening because of their changing attitude... it is because of this that Anna Hazare, Kumar Vishwas and others left the party,” said Poonawalla.