Allies Cong, AAP fight it out over LS contest in Delhi

The controversy started after a meeting of the Delhi Congress unit on Lok Sabha poll preparations, attended by senior leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

A war of words broke out on Wednesday between members of the Delhi Congress unit and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson over comments that the former may contest all seven Lok Sabha seats in the Capital on its own.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party MP Rahul Gandhi with suspended AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku at Parliament House on August 11 (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The controversy started after a meeting of the Delhi Congress unit on Lok Sabha poll preparations, attended by senior leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Congress leader Alka Lamba, who attended the meeting along with Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar and Delhi in-charge Deepak Babaria, said the leaders were asked to prepare for all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi right away. “Seven months are left and there are seven seats in Delhi. History says that whoever wins Delhi wins the country. We have been asked to prepare for all seven seats,” Lamba said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. The Congress and the AAP are part of the Opposition’s INDIA grouping, though no seat-sharing arrangements have been discussed yet.

Lamba said no final decision was taken on whether the Congress will contest all seven seats alone or in an alliance. “In the last LS election, Congress was in the second position in all seven seats. No discussion on seat sharing was held. We will keep our preparations ready on all seven seats regardless of whatever decision is taken in the future,” Lamba added.

Hours after Lamba’s comment, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar hit back. “If they do not want an alliance in Delhi, then going to INDIA meeting is pointless and a waste of time. Our top leadership will decide whether we have to attend the next INDIA meeting,” she said. The next meeting of the bloc is scheduled in Mumbai likely in August-end.

“The Congress had come to us for an alliance because the Congress does not have any significance in Delhi. if the statements of Alka Lamba...are to be believed...if they have decided that they do not want alliance in Delhi, then there is no meaning of INDIA alliance,” she added.

Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj appeared to strike a more non-confrontational tone. “...Our central leadership will decide this...Our political affairs committee and INDIA parties will sit together and discuss this (poll alliance),” he told ANI.

After the meeting, Babaria hit out at the AAP. “Delhi has become directionless and no progress has been made from the point where Sheila Dikshit [former Delhi CM)]had left. Delhi congress will oppose the anti-people policies of the AAP government....It was also decided that the anti-people policies of the AAP government will be flagged before the people, and Congress party will move ahead,” Babaria said.

But he added that no discussion on alliance was held during Wednesday’s meeting. “The decision on the shape of the alliance in Delhi has to be taken by the party high command...whatever decision comes from high command, we will follow,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Kharge announced the meeting on X(formerly Twitter): “In view of the Lok Sabha elections, a consultation was held with the leaders of Delhi Congress today. Transformation (Navsanchar) of Delhi Congress is our priority, in which participation of all leaders and workers is necessary. We had made Delhi prosperous and happy, our struggle for the people of Delhi continues even further,” he posted.

In a media statement, Gandhi said that the Congress party is dedicated to raising the voice of the people of Delhi and taking every step for the progress of the state.