Arvind Kejriwal did U-turn: Rahul; CM hits back
NEW DELHI: Ending days of confusion over Congress's stand on the impending AAP-Congress alliance for the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi put the ball in Arvind Kejriwal's court with one tweet. Within minutes, CM Kejriwal hit back at Gandhi saying the Congress president doesn't intend to have an alliance. On Monday evening, Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter: "An alliance between the Congress & AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this. But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn! Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out."
Rahul Gandhi has accused Arvind Kejriwal of making a U-turn and hindering the process of talks between the two opposition parties both aiming to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has hit back at Rahul Gandhi for saying he has made a U-turn on the AAP-Congress alliance. Kejriwal has said Rahul Gandhi's tweet shows that he is not interested in an alliance and it is all rhetoric.
"What U-turn? The talks were still going on. Your tweet shows that alliance is not your intention but only a show. It makes me sad that you are only making big statements. Today, saving the nation from the Modi-Shah threat is the most important mission. It is unfortunate that you are splitting the anti-Modi votes in UP and all other states," said Kejriwal.
Sticking to its demand for an alliance with Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, AAP asked why Rahul is not interested in defeating the BJP in 18 seats. While Delhi and Haryana send 7 and 10 MPs to Lok Sabha respectively, Chandigarh sends a single MP to the lower house. "In Punjab, where Congress has 4 MPs and 20 MLAs, it is unwilling to concede a single seat. In Haryana, Congress has just one MP and doesn't want to concede a
single seat. In Delhi, it has 0 MPs and MLAs, and even there they are demanding that AAP give up three seats to them. Is this how you reach an agreement? Do you not want to stop BJP in other states," asked AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh.
Posing a similar query, AAP leader Gopal Rai asked why Rahul Gandhi is not interested in defeating the BJP in 18 seats.
"Rahul is opening doors to 4 seats in Delhi. AAP has opened doors to 18 seats in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh," Rai tweeted.
Meanwhile, party sources confirmed that NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday is likely to meet representatives of both the parties to mediate the alliance talks as a final step. Earlier also he mediated the same.
