Aam Admi Party (AAP) Pune unit has decided to extend support to Mohan Joshi, the Congress nominee from Pune, even as the Congress-AAP alliance remains undecided in Delhi.
While AAP is not contesting the elections in Maharashtra, the party has decided to extend support to candidates in select constituencies.
In a statement released on Wednesday, AAP said the party has decided to support Congress candidate Joshi to save the Constitution of India. The party also quoted Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal saying if the Constitution is to be saved from fundamentalists, there is a need to support a secular party.
“The AAP’s Maharashtra unit has decided to support Mohan Joshi, Pune Congress candidate, as per the appeal made by the party’s chief convenor,” said a release issued by Brigadier Sudhir Sawant (retd), AAP state unit chief.
AAP’s support to Congress has boosted Joshi’s candidature as he is locked in a tight battle against Bharatiya Janata Party’s nominee Girish Bapat. In the Lok Sabha 2014 poll results, AAP candidate Subhash Ware got 28,000 votes. Ware stood third with BJP’s Anil Shirole winning the contest.
AAP fought the 2014 elections levelling serious allegations against Congress and its senior leaders accusing them of corruption.
{{/usCountry}}AAP fought the 2014 elections levelling serious allegations against Congress and its senior leaders accusing them of corruption.
{{/usCountry}}On AAP’s support, Joshi said the Congress has always been a secular party and AAP’s backing will enhance his chances of winning. “I welcome the AAP’s decision to support my candidature,” said Joshi.
Meanwhile, the Congress candidate criticised chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who on Wednesday said the BJP government plans to make Pune city number one. During his visit to Pune, Fadnavis said, “The government is working to make Pune the number one city.”
“Fadnavis’ remarks show that BJP wants to take all credit for the work originally done by Congress,” said Joshi.