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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: AAP backtracked on alliance in Delhi at the last minute, says Congress
Delhi Congress in-charge PC Chacko said that both the parties had, till Wednesday, agreed to the seat-sharing split of 4:3 — four for AAP and three for Congress. The AAP leaders, however, went back on their words soon after.
Delhi Congress in-charge PC Chacko Thursday blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for “backtracking” on the alliance in Delhi at the last minute when the deal was “almost finalised”.
Chacko said that both the parties had, till Wednesday, agreed to the seat-sharing split of 4:3 — four for AAP and three for Congress. The AAP leaders, however, went back on their words soon after.
“I have been in touch with AAP’s Sanjay Singh and we had decided that we will go ahead with 4:3 seat-sharing in Delhi,” Chacko said.
He said the AAP wanted to tie up with them in Punjab, Haryana and Goa, and despite convincing them of detaching the matter of alliance in Delhi with other states, they refused to budge. “I have said this before that we are ready for an alliance in Delhi. An alliance in other states is another matter. The situation in each state is different from the other. In other states, an alliance might or might not happen, but why let the alliance in Delhi be affected by that?” he maintained.
The AAP leaders, Chacko said, were publicly making statements that they were in favour of the alliance, but on the negotiating table, were showing no interest in coming to an agreement. “They (the AAP) owe an explanation to the people of Delhi,” he said.
Hitting back at the Congress, AAP’s Delhi convener Gopal Rai Thursday said Congress leaders were only “playing games” and were not actually serious about the alliance. “What Chacko ji is saying is nothing new. He said the same thing yesterday and before that too. They are in no position to make any comment,” Rai said.
Also Read | Congress wants Delhi-only tie-up, says AAP as it calls off alliance talks
Meanwhile, the Delhi Congress leaders said they have finalised candidates from their party to fight the upcoming parliamentary elections from all seven constituencies of Delhi. A senior party leader said they are likely to officially announce the candidate list by Friday or Saturday.
The party had, in a meeting of the chief election committee (CEC) last week, finalised the names of senior leaders Ajay Maken from New Delhi, Kapil Sibal from Chandni Chowk, JP Agarwal from north-east Delhi, and Raj Kumar Chauhan from north-west Delhi. For the remaining three seats—south, west and east Delhi—last minute discussions were on till Wednesday.
Party leaders said that while Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit is likely to be the party’s face in east Delhi, Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and Purvanchali leader and former Member of Parliament (MP) Mahabal Mishra will be fielded for the south and west Delhi seats respectively.
The Congress is yet to make a formal announcement on the candidate list.
