NEW DELHI: Congress-AAP seat-sharing announcement clinched a major arrangement in the works for a long time, which had its ups and downs, and even saw AAP earlier this month publicly slam Congress as worthy of only one seat in Delhi. Earlier this week, AAP had said BJP is anxious about Congress-AAP alliance and CM Kejriwal could even be arrested if it comes through. ED has sent summonses to Kejriwal in connection with alleged Delhi liquor scam.
At the joint press conference, Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik announced seats in the presence of AAP’s general secretary (organisation) and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, Congress leader Deepak Babaria and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh Lovely.
“All political parties in INDIA bloc will work in coordination. Both parties will field candidates on their respective election symbols, but will fully cooperate in making each other win in all states,” Wasnik said. AAP pointperson Sandeep Pathak seconded Wasnik by saying that both parties will fully back each other’s candidates and fight polls under INDIA bloc which has been “formed to counter BJP’s politics and provide an alternative to the country”.
This poll will be fought by INDIA bloc. BJP’s calculations and strategy will go wrong because of the alliance,” Pathak said.
As part of the deal in which Congress got Delhi seats of its choice, AAP will contest in Bharuch and Bhavnagar in Gujarat and Kurukshetra in Haryana. Congress will contest remaining 24 and 9 seats in Gujarat and Haryana, respectively. AAP MLAs from Gujarat, Chaitar Vasava and Umeshbhai Makwana will contest from Bharuch and Bhavnagar, repectively.
The two states have been traditionally bipolar between Congress and BJP and ceding seats to AAP is a major concession from Congress, whose local outfits are unlikely to be happy with accommodation of Kejriwal.
With late Congress stalwart Ahmed Patel’s family opposing allocation of Bharuch seat to AAP, Wasnik expressed hope that all Congress workers will respect the party’s decision. Patel’s son Faisal and daughter Mumtaz expressed their disappointment after the decision was announced.
In Goa, Congress will contest both seats and the lone seat in Chandigarh. AAP will withdraw its candidate announced from south Goa earlier, from where Congress has a sitting MP.
On the way ahead for opposition, Wasnik highlighted that INDIA bloc has sealed important seat-sharing arrangements in UP and MP. Congress said deals will be announced in coming days in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar and Tamil Nadu as well. With all other alliances on track, West Bengal remains the sole spoiler. Congress is still nudging TMC for five if not six seats. While TMC has repeatedly said it will contest alone, Congress is insisting that the deal is not ruled out.
At the joint press conference, Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik announced seats in the presence of AAP’s general secretary (organisation) and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, Congress leader Deepak Babaria and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh Lovely.
“All political parties in INDIA bloc will work in coordination. Both parties will field candidates on their respective election symbols, but will fully cooperate in making each other win in all states,” Wasnik said. AAP pointperson Sandeep Pathak seconded Wasnik by saying that both parties will fully back each other’s candidates and fight polls under INDIA bloc which has been “formed to counter BJP’s politics and provide an alternative to the country”.
This poll will be fought by INDIA bloc. BJP’s calculations and strategy will go wrong because of the alliance,” Pathak said.
As part of the deal in which Congress got Delhi seats of its choice, AAP will contest in Bharuch and Bhavnagar in Gujarat and Kurukshetra in Haryana. Congress will contest remaining 24 and 9 seats in Gujarat and Haryana, respectively. AAP MLAs from Gujarat, Chaitar Vasava and Umeshbhai Makwana will contest from Bharuch and Bhavnagar, repectively.
The two states have been traditionally bipolar between Congress and BJP and ceding seats to AAP is a major concession from Congress, whose local outfits are unlikely to be happy with accommodation of Kejriwal.
With late Congress stalwart Ahmed Patel’s family opposing allocation of Bharuch seat to AAP, Wasnik expressed hope that all Congress workers will respect the party’s decision. Patel’s son Faisal and daughter Mumtaz expressed their disappointment after the decision was announced.
In Goa, Congress will contest both seats and the lone seat in Chandigarh. AAP will withdraw its candidate announced from south Goa earlier, from where Congress has a sitting MP.
On the way ahead for opposition, Wasnik highlighted that INDIA bloc has sealed important seat-sharing arrangements in UP and MP. Congress said deals will be announced in coming days in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar and Tamil Nadu as well. With all other alliances on track, West Bengal remains the sole spoiler. Congress is still nudging TMC for five if not six seats. While TMC has repeatedly said it will contest alone, Congress is insisting that the deal is not ruled out.