‘Congress doesn’t deserve but....’: AAP offers 1 out of 7 seats in Delhi
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak emphasized that while Congress does not deserve any seats on merit, AAP is willing to offer one out of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi as a gesture adhering to the "dharma of alliance."
- Feb 13, 2024,
- Updated Feb 13, 2024 2:55 PM IST
In the midst of the political chessboard gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has offered the Congress party just one seat in Delhi. This proposition comes despite AAP's assertion that Congress doesn't merit even a single seat based on their performance.
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak emphasized that while Congress does not deserve any seats on merit, AAP is willing to offer one out of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi as a gesture adhering to the "dharma of alliance."
The AAP, currently holding power in Delhi, has been engaged in negotiations with its partner in the INDIA opposition bloc, the Congress party, to work out a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections.
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said, "On merit basis, Congress party does not deserve even a single seat in Delhi but keeping in mind the 'dharma of alliance' we are offering them one seat in Delhi. We propose Congress party to fight on one seat and AAP on six seats."
AAP has asserted its negotiating position with the Congress, leveraging its previous strong electoral performance in Delhi, where it secured a majority of assembly seats. Meanwhile, the Congress is striving to reclaim its influence in the capital, having encountered a string of electoral setbacks in recent times.
"In Delhi, Congress party has zero seats in the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections. In the MCD elections, Congress has won 9 seats out of 250," said Pathak.
The initial discussions regarding seat-sharing in Delhi between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress proposed a ratio of 4:3, with the Congress contesting four seats and AAP taking three. However, recent statements by AAP leader Durgesh Pathak indicate that a mutually agreeable consensus was not reached between the two parties, India Today quoted source as saying.
In the 2019 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had swept all seven seats in Delhi, with Congress trailing behind and AAP finishing third. However, AAP's subsequent triumphs in the Delhi Assembly elections and municipal polls, along with dislodging the Congress government in Punjab, have bolstered its position.
AAP's chief Arvind Kejriwal, who also serves as the Chief Minister of Delhi, has ruled out an alliance with Congress in Punjab, declaring that AAP will contest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state and Chandigarh independently.
The offer of three Lok Sabha seats to the Congress by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to be an attempt to mend the strained alliance within the INDIA bloc. Disagreements, especially in Punjab, have led to the Congress deciding to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats independently, sidelining the ruling AAP. The offer of three seats could potentially serve as a gesture to restore unity among the INDIA bloc allies.
"For Lok Sabha elections, Punjab has 13 seats and one from Chandigarh - a total of 14 seats. In the next 10-15 days, AAP will declare its candidates in all of these 14 seats. You [supporters] have to make AAP sweep all these 14 seats with majority," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said at a rally last Saturday.
The ongoing seat-sharing negotiations between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress have encountered additional challenges due to the AAP's requests for seats in states like Haryana and Goa, where it has demonstrated electoral potential. However, the Congress is hesitant to compromise its own electoral prospects by accommodating these demands, creating further complexities in reaching a mutually agreeable arrangement.
Also Read: Farmers Protest: Massive traffic snarls reported in Delhi-NCR; commuters run late for work
In the midst of the political chessboard gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has offered the Congress party just one seat in Delhi. This proposition comes despite AAP's assertion that Congress doesn't merit even a single seat based on their performance.
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak emphasized that while Congress does not deserve any seats on merit, AAP is willing to offer one out of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi as a gesture adhering to the "dharma of alliance."
The AAP, currently holding power in Delhi, has been engaged in negotiations with its partner in the INDIA opposition bloc, the Congress party, to work out a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections.
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak said, "On merit basis, Congress party does not deserve even a single seat in Delhi but keeping in mind the 'dharma of alliance' we are offering them one seat in Delhi. We propose Congress party to fight on one seat and AAP on six seats."
AAP has asserted its negotiating position with the Congress, leveraging its previous strong electoral performance in Delhi, where it secured a majority of assembly seats. Meanwhile, the Congress is striving to reclaim its influence in the capital, having encountered a string of electoral setbacks in recent times.
"In Delhi, Congress party has zero seats in the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections. In the MCD elections, Congress has won 9 seats out of 250," said Pathak.
The initial discussions regarding seat-sharing in Delhi between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress proposed a ratio of 4:3, with the Congress contesting four seats and AAP taking three. However, recent statements by AAP leader Durgesh Pathak indicate that a mutually agreeable consensus was not reached between the two parties, India Today quoted source as saying.
In the 2019 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had swept all seven seats in Delhi, with Congress trailing behind and AAP finishing third. However, AAP's subsequent triumphs in the Delhi Assembly elections and municipal polls, along with dislodging the Congress government in Punjab, have bolstered its position.
AAP's chief Arvind Kejriwal, who also serves as the Chief Minister of Delhi, has ruled out an alliance with Congress in Punjab, declaring that AAP will contest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state and Chandigarh independently.
The offer of three Lok Sabha seats to the Congress by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to be an attempt to mend the strained alliance within the INDIA bloc. Disagreements, especially in Punjab, have led to the Congress deciding to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats independently, sidelining the ruling AAP. The offer of three seats could potentially serve as a gesture to restore unity among the INDIA bloc allies.
"For Lok Sabha elections, Punjab has 13 seats and one from Chandigarh - a total of 14 seats. In the next 10-15 days, AAP will declare its candidates in all of these 14 seats. You [supporters] have to make AAP sweep all these 14 seats with majority," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said at a rally last Saturday.
The ongoing seat-sharing negotiations between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress have encountered additional challenges due to the AAP's requests for seats in states like Haryana and Goa, where it has demonstrated electoral potential. However, the Congress is hesitant to compromise its own electoral prospects by accommodating these demands, creating further complexities in reaching a mutually agreeable arrangement.
Also Read: Farmers Protest: Massive traffic snarls reported in Delhi-NCR; commuters run late for work