Reacting to Rajendra Pal Gautam joining the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday described it as just another chapter in the shifting tides of politics.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi State Vice President Kuldeep Kumar dismissed the move as routine, highlighting that party-hopping before elections is common.
“When tickets are in doubt, some jump ship,” he remarked, underscoring the party’s calm response to the ex-AAP leader’s exit.
On Gautam’s exit, Kumar emphasised that political leaders keep coming and going. He added that AAP had given Gautam due respect by entrusting him with significant responsibilities, including serving as a minister and overseeing multiple departments.
Switching parties is a common trend, Kumar said, adding that often when candidates sense that the ground realities are not in their favour, and their chances of securing a ticket are uncertain, they change sides.
He further said that it is a recurring phenomenon in politics and is by no means unusual.
“I wish him all the best in his future political endeavours, and may he enjoy good health and happiness,” he added.
Last month, several AAP leaders joined Congress at the Delhi Congress headquarters. The new members included Amar Pal Singh, former social media president, New Delhi Lok Sabha and Gujarat co-prabhari; Deepak Raj Singh, ex-president of the AAP Kisan Wing; Vikas Saini, Tilak Nagar District Sangathan Mantri; Advocate Harsh Hardy; Davneet Kaur; Shiven Nayyar; Nand Kishore Bokolia; Vikram Singh; Darshan Singh; Rashid Ali Qureshi; Ikram Khan; Mohammad Aalam; and Shamim Khan.