Mumbai, Jan 10 (IANS): Mayank Gandhi, a former leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has accused former Delhi Chief Minister and party convener Arvind Kejriwal of deviating from the principles on which the party was founded.
Speaking to IANS here on Friday, Gandhi said, “We entered politics to change the narrative, and this vision was upheld until 2015. However, Arvind Kejriwal shifted focus towards gaining power, abandoning the core principles we stood for.”
Gandhi explained his decision to part ways with the party, stating, “I was not interested in power but in transforming the country. When I realised that Kejriwal had changed course, I decided to leave.”
Referring to incidents such as the controversial construction of the "Sheesh Mahal", Gandhi remarked, “I was convinced Kejriwal had chosen the path of power at any cost. The country has been deceived by him. We had united to bring change, but he himself changed.”
Sharing his personal anguish, Gandhi added: “I left my job and devoted myself entirely to our mission. It felt like nurturing a child, only to see them go astray. This betrayal deeply pains me.”
Mayank Gandhi criticised AAP for alleged corruption, particularly related to the excise policy controversy. He questioned, “When the excise scam surfaced, Kejriwal promptly changed the policy. If he was not at fault, why would he do that? There is hundred per cent corruption there.”
He also expressed concerns about AAP's populist measures, such as free water and electricity citing the example of Venezuela, claiming they could harm the economy.
Gandhi remarked on the division of votes between the Congress and the AAP, suggesting that their failure to unite could benefit the BJP in upcoming elections in Delhi.
Having distanced himself from active politics, Gandhi talked about his ongoing work in rural Maharashtra. He detailed his efforts to address farmers' issues, including suicide prevention, income generation, and water management in the Parli area of Beed district.
“For the last seven years, I have been working on increasing farmers' incomes and solving water problems. We’ve planted 5.5 crore trees and are currently active in 4,600 villages. According to a Tata Institute of Social Sciences report, farmers who used to earn Rs 38,000 annually now earn Rs 4 lakh, a tenfold increase,” Gandhi told IANS.
He also mentioned meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss these achievements and explore ways to expand the impact of his initiatives.
Reaffirming his commitment to social work and not joining politics, Mayank Gandhi said, “Politics is behind me now. My focus is on creating a sustainable future for farmers and their families and this is the reason I met CM Fadnavis to scale up the operations in Beed.”