Cong: Pact with AAP, if at all, only in Delhi

Aditi Tandon

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7

The Congress today said it would go it alone in Haryana and Punjab in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and there would be no alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party or any other party in these states.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala made the announcement, saying, “There is no conversation with AAP or with any other party on any electoral alliance either in Punjab or in Haryana. In these states, we will fight alone.”

Asked if the long speculated Congress and AAP alliance in Delhi will come through any time soon, Surjewala said the matter was under discussion and Delhi chief Sheila Dikshit will take a call.

“We will soon announce the development as and when there is any. Wait for a while,” Surjewala said after Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently left the decision to the state unit.

The Congress and AAP have remained engaged in prolonged discussions on seat sharing in Delhi, with AAP even exerting pressure on the Congress through NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TMC president Mamata Banerjee. AAP had proposed a formula under which there would be a three-state alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

The Congress has, however, steadfastly refused any understanding with AAP in Punjab or Haryana.  

In Haryana, too, the Congress is preparing to go it alone. It now remains to be seen whether Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal stitches a pact with the Congress in Delhi after the party openly rejected his condition for seat sharing in Haryana and Punjab.

In Delhi, the two parties are said to be discussing an alliance of 4-3 seats, with four in favour of AAP.

The BJP has also kept its Delhi strategy close to the chest and is awaiting the outcome of Congress-AAP talks.