Cong-AAP alliance saga spills over to Haryana

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 17

The ongoing saga of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party’s elusive alliance spilled over to Haryana today with top leaders meeting in the capital to discuss the matter.

AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana Ghulam Nabi Azad met AAP’s alliances incharge Sanjay Singh today. Though he dismissed it as “a mundane meeting between two Rajya Sabha MPs”, its timing wasn’t lost on anyone.

“I don’t know who is talking about a Haryana alliance in Delhi. There is no such thing right now,” Azad said.

Sanjay Singh, however, blamed the Congress for no headway in talks. “In order to stop BJP, we were ready for an alliance, but Congress is not in a mood for any coalition or compromise. It’s sad.”

The meeting came barely three days after Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had a public spat.

Gandhi said the Congress was open to offering four Lok Sabha seats to AAP in Delhi and keeping three for itself. Congress’ political line so far has been that there can be no alliance with AAP beyond Delhi because such alliances are not “practical”. AAP is insistent on a comprehensive and reasonable understanding beyond Delhi.

In that context, today’s meeting troubled several Haryana Congress leaders in contention for the remaining four seats in the state. AAP wants a Congress-JJP-AAP pact in Haryana, seat understanding in Chandigarh, space in Punjab and Goa.

Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who heads the state LS poll coordination committee ruled out any immediate talks of alliance with AAP in Haryana but left the door ajar.

Top leaders privately wondered how the Congress that fought INLD for decades could ally with its split faction. Buzz is AAP wants Karnal seat for itself and three seats for the JJP.

‘Nothing special’

It was a courtesy meeting (with Sanjay Singh). MPs keep meeting each other. What’s special about that?  — Ghulam Nabi Azad, Cong leader

‘Don’t need it’

We don’t need any alliance in Haryana but if the party takes a call in national interest on any alliance, we will see. — Bhupinder Singh Hooda, ex-cm, Haryana