AAP says Congress alliance still far cry, gears up for LS poll campaign
NEW DELHI: Amid the speculation of AAP-Congress alliance for the Lok Sabha poll, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Thursday maintained its stand that the party has yet not decided about such an alliance. However, the party has geared up its LS poll campaign with the announcement of forming more frontal organisations. So far, 22 frontal organisations have been formed.
"It is very difficult to say whether the alliance will happen or not. In the given situation, AAP can defeat BJP in Delhi and Congress is way behind (in the contest)," said Gopal Rai, who heads AAP's Delhi unit. He added that his party has speeded up preparations on all the seven Lok Sabha seats, and announced the formation of four frontal organisations for other backward castes (OBCs), resident welfare associations (RWAs), doctors and rural areas.
Meanwhile, With the appointment of former Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit as Delhi Pradesh Congress chief, the speculations on the alliance shoot up as Dikshit is supposedly soft on the issue of the alliance, unlike the former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken.
Commenting on the newly appointed president of Delhi Congress Sheila Dikshit, Rai said she was given farewell by the people "after ruling for 15 years" and bringing her back indicated that the party had limited choice for leadership. "The recent developments indicate that the Congress has not only lost its ground in Delhi but is also leaderless," Rai said.
Both Congress and AAP have been sharply attacking one another amid speculations over the possibility of an alliance, which they have yet to accept or deny formally. Rai earlier said that the political affairs committee of AAP will take a call on the issue of the alliance, after considering views of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab units of the party. In the case of Congress, the alliance issue will be decided by a committee headed by senior leader A K Antony.
Rai said voters in Delhi want MPs who can cooperate with the Delhi government in developing the city, unlike current BJP MPs who create "hurdles" in it. "I am assured, BJP will lose all the seven seats in Delhi and AAP is readying for it. People in the country want a respite from the dictatorship of Modi-Shah combine. In the emerging situation, people in different states will either vote for the BJP or go for those parties who could defeat it," Rai said.
