Delhi minister Atishi said BJP MP Gautam Gambhir did "nothing for the East Delhi" after the cricketer-turned-politician requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of political duties during a press conference in Delhi on Saturday.
“BJP’s East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir has tweeted, expressing his wish to retire from his political life, indicating the BJP's denial of a political ticket from East Delhi," Atishi stated at a press conference.
She added, "It’s BJP’s trend to elect anyone without checking their ability and commitment to the people. For the last 5 years, Gautam Gambhir has done nothing in his area”.
AAP leader Kuldeep Kumar echoed similar sentiments, saying, "We are very sad. It's the second time that the BJP has betrayed the people of East Delhi. It was Mahesh Giri in 2014 and Gautam Gambhir in 2019. They came, won and left. He (Gautam Gambhir) has nothing to do with the people of Delhi."
"This time the people won't trust people like them (Gautam Gambhir & Mahesh Giri), and the BJP won't be able to win from the East Delhi seat. People have seen enough of these celebrities, now they want someone who belongs to them," Kumar told ANI.
Earlier in the day, Gautam Gambhir, former India cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from East Delhi, expressed his desire to relinquish political responsibilities.
Making the announcement on his social media handle, Gambhir tagged BJP President JP Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. He formally requested JP Nadda to release him from his political duties.
Through a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gambhir mentioned that he has asked BJP President JP Nadda to allow him to step back from his political duties, citing a desire to focus on upcoming cricket commitments. He expressed gratitude to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for the opportunity to serve the people.
“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” wrote Gambhir in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Having joined the BJP in March 2019, Gambhir emerged as a prominent figure for the party in Delhi. His electoral success included winning the East Delhi seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a significant margin of 6,95,109 votes.