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2019 Elections: AAP, Congress Begin Parleys For Alliance, Across States
Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are currently engaged in discussions to strike an electoral alliance, PTI has reported. The electoral partnership will not be limited to just the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital but also for seats in Haryana and Punjab.
Both the parties are working towards finalising a seat-sharing formula for each of the states based on their strength.
In Delhi, where it currently runs the government, AAP is likely to contest in four parliamentary constituencies while conceding the remaining three to the Congress.
In Congress ruled Punjab, AAP is likely to settle for four out of the 13 seats. AAP has been facing serious internal dissension in Punjab including a recent split that saw a bulk of elected legislators of the party forming a breakaway group.
To dislodge the Manoharlal Khattar-led government in Haryana, Congress is likely to field candidates in seven seats, while leaving the remaining three to AAP.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is reportedly working on persuading the state units to agree to the alliance with the larger objective of forming a formidable opposition to challenge the ruling BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
AAP founder and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been a fierce critic of Congress, has of late toned down his rhetoric against the party. His reconciliatory approach is seen as a prelude to a coalition with a Congress-led opposition.
On the other hand, Kejriwal has repeatedly trained his guns on BJP. He recently claimed that if BJP is voted back to power in 2019, then nothing will survive and they will even transform the Constitution as per their will. He also said that it was the “duty” of every citizen of the country to take a step to “defeat” the party.
AAP, for the first time, also attended an opposition meeting last week that was convened by the Congress.
From the AAP side, talks are being held by a senior party leader and member of the AAP’s apex decision-making body, the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, sources privy to be development say.
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