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Chandigarh: AAP says alliance intact with Congress for mayoral polls
AAP leader Prem Garg said it is Congress’s democratic right to gear up for polls and look for candidates well in time
A day after the Chandigarh unit of Congress invited applications for candidature for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections amid the ongoing controversy over the mayoral polls, senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said their alliance with the grand old party remains “intact” for the mayoral polls even if no alliance talks have been resumed by parties’ high commands for the parliamentary seat. “Inviting candidature is Congress’ intra-party activity and the AAP is also doing internal surveys to decide on the Lok Sabha candidate. The high command can only decide if they wish to contest with Congress or not but as of now, our alliance with the party remains intact. We are sure that the AAP will get justice in mayoral polls and we can jointly win seats against the BJP,” said city AAP’s co-incharge Dr SS Ahluwalia.
It is pertinent to mention that the local unit of AAP and Congress had joined hands to fight against the BJP in mayoral polls, which were held on January 30, in which BJP defeated them in controversial election. As per the alliance pact, the mayor seat was taken by the AAP while Congress took taken post of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor.
As per sources, Congress had also sent a proposal and had demanded AAP’s support of their Lok Sabha candidate in return for the mayor seat, but the senior leaders of both the parties had clarified that no alliance pact has been done for Lok Sabha polls, as of now.
Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee’s senior leaders held a meeting on Tuesday to form strategies for the Lok Sabha polls. “The last date for inviting applications is February 10, till 4 pm. All those interested in applying may submit an application at Rajiv Gandhi Congress Bhawan, Sector 35, along with a draft or cheque of ₹10,000,” Congress said.
Senior Congress leader and former MP from Chandigarh Pawan Bansal is eyeing a Lok Sabha ticket from Chandigarh. Bansal has actively participated in forming strategies for mayoral polls and has also held meetings with AAP’s senior leaders, including Raghav Chadha, to materialise the alliance.
On the other hand, AAP mulling to field Raghav Chadha from the Chandigarh seat is being discussed in local party circles for sometimes now.
Alliance or fighting alone, we are geared up: Congress
Meanwhile, Congress leaders said the party has started the procedure to select a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls, well in time, so that the candidate can get enough time to interact with the city residents and campaign.
“Selecting a candidate is our first step and even if an alliance materialises at a later stage, we must at least have a candidate ready from our party. Alliance or not, Congress is gearing up for the polls’’, Congress president HS Lucky said.
For AAP, mayoral polls important ahead of Lok Sabha polls
AAP made its debut in Chandigarh in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, in which their candidate Gul Panag was placed third. The AAP candidate ate into Bansal’s traditional vote bank in the rehabilitated colonies and slums as she touched 1.08 lakh votes to Bansal’s 1.21 lakh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls too, AAP managed to secure the third position with its candidate Harmohan Dhawan. BJP’s Kirron Kher won the Chandigarh constituency for the second consecutive time in 2019, by a margin of roughly 46,000 votes against Congress’ Bansal. But the party had made a strong comeback in its debutant municipal corporation elections in 2021 by winning 14 of the total 35 seats.
