AAP to decide candidates for Lok Sabha seats in 3 states on February 13

The AAP-Congress discussions have been going on for months, but the seat-sharing talks have yet to find a breakthrough

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will decide its candidates for Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, Goa, and Haryana at the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting scheduled on February 13, AAP leaders aware of the development said on Friday morning.

AAP and Congress have held multiple rounds of seat-sharing talks for Lok Sabha polls. (HT file photo)

The move sheds light on the growing discontent in the opposition grouping Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) amid lack of inclusive seat-sharing talks.

The AAP, which is part of the opposition grouping alliance ‘INDIA’, announced the general polls preparations plan a day after its senior leader Sandeep Pathak named party candidates for three Lok Sabha seats in Assam, saying it was “tired” of inconclusive talks with the INDIA bloc.

AAP and Congress have held multiple rounds of seat-sharing talks for Lok Sabha polls with both sides stressing on the fact that the talks are progressing positively.

According to people aware of the development, AAP has been demanding seats in Delhi, Gujarat, Goa, and Haryana.

A response from the Congress is awaited and the story will be updated whenever the same is received.

On Thursday, AAP said that they and Congress will not have any alliance in Punjab.

Pathak said while the party will go alone in Punjab, it is in talks regarding seat sharing in Delhi.

“We are a responsible and understanding partner of the INDIA alliance. For Punjab, the state units of Aam Aadmi Party and Congress had agreed that both the parties would contest elections separately in the state. In Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party and Congress will contest Lok Sabha elections separately and there will be no alliance there,” Pathak said.

In the press conference, the AAP leader expressed disappointment with the inconclusive seat-sharing talks.

“We are tired now with the (seat-sharing) talks that have been going on for months with no result. We have to contest elections to win... and not just for the sake of it. The LS polls are very close. We have to work hard for the poll preparations and a lot of work needs to be done. There is not much time available with us,” Pathak said on Thursday.

The AAP leader, however, said the party stood strongly with the INDIA alliance and hoped the opposition bloc will give it the three seats in Assam, which has 14 Lok Sabha seats.

The AAP-Congress discussions have been going on for months, but the seat-sharing talks have yet to find a breakthrough.