No tie-up for city Congress, AAP in Lok Sabha poll

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 10

Having aligned together under the banner of INDI alliance against the ruling BJP for the mayoral elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are going to field separate candidates from the city for the Lok Sabha elections.

Had won MC poll, will win LS seat too: Ahluwalia

Our chief has announced the decision to go solo. We are confident of emerging victorious from the city in view of the fact we were the single largest party in the last MC elections. — Dr SS Ahluwalia, co-incharge, city AAP

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Polled more votes than AAP last time: Lucky

Our alliance was only for the mayoral poll. If AAP is really serious about fight against BJP, it should support Congress candidate in city, as we polled more votes than its candidate earlier. — HS Lucky, president, Chandigarh Congress

A statement of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal ruling out any alliance with the Congress in Punjab and Chandigarh came is a blow to the efforts being made to put up a united fight against the ruling BJP under the INDIA bloc in Chandigarh.

The development comes a few days after the city Congress started inviting candidates for the city Lok Sabha seat. Six leaders, including four-time MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, are in the race for the Congress ticket.

A city Congress leader sees the AAP move as only a posturing after the Congress started the process of deciding candidates for the Chandigarh constituency.

However, city Congress president HS Lucky said, “Our alliance was only for the mayoral poll. If AAP is really serious about fight against the BJP, it should support the Congress candidate in Chandigarh as we had got much more votes than its candidate earlier. Even if they do not, we are confident of win on the basis of our party’s strength and policies.”

Dr SS Ahluwalia, co-incharge, city AAP, said, “Our tie-up was only for the mayoral elections, not the Lok Sabha poll. Our chief has announced the decision to go solo. We are confident of emerging victorious from the city in view of the fact we were the single largest party in the last MC elections.”

It may be recalled that in 2019, BJP candidate and sitting MP Kirron Kher had retained the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat by getting 2,30,967 votes. While her nearest rival and Congress nominee Bansal got 1,84,218 votes, AAP candidate Harmohan Dhawan, who passed away recently, had got only 13,781 votes. Earlier in the 2014 elections, Kher had secured 1,91,362 votes, while Bansal and AAP’s Gul Panag had got 1,21,720 and 1,08,362 votes, respectively.

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