'Mistake, Not To Be Repeated': Congress Firm On No Alliance With AAP For Delhi Elections Despite Recent Defections

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav called the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha election a "mistake" and announced on Sunday (10 November) that there will be no alliances with any party for the upcoming assembly elections in the Union Territory.

The AAP and Congress, both members of the INDI Alliance, previously contested elections together in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Goa. Yadav led the Delhi Congress during the Lok Sabha elections but considered alliance with AAP a mistake which is not to be repeated.

"By forming an alliance with the AAP in the past, the Congress faced the consequences. There will be no alliance with the AAP or any other party in the future," he said as recently senior Congress leader and five-time Seelampur MLA Mateen Ahmed joined AAP.

Ahmed, who had been with Congress for nearly two decades, joined AAP following the recent entry of his son, Zubair Chaudhary, a Congress district president, and daughter-in-law, Shagufta Chaudhary, an MCD councillor.

Shagufta confirmed that Zubair is likely to run as AAP's candidate for the Seelampur seat, replacing Rehman. She mentioned that the family’s move to AAP was driven by Congress's reluctance to form an alliance with AAP, despite the ruling party’s overtures.

Asked if these defections might lead Congress to reconsider an alliance with AAP, Yadav dismissed the idea, stating, "People are now hoping for change, and they believe in the Congress," Indian Express reported.