The likelihood of an alliance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress for the upcoming Haryana elections 2024 appeared slim as of Monday afternoon, following a statement by AAP's Haryana chief, Sushil Gupta. Gupta announced that AAP would contest all 90 assembly seats independently, suggesting a breakdown in alliance talks.
AAP Announces Candidates amid Alliance Uncertainty
Shortly before Gupta's announcement, AAP released its first list of 20 candidates, with 11 of them set to contest seats where the Congress has also fielded candidates. Gupta further mentioned that a second list of candidates would be released soon. "AAP has made its decision... we have announced candidates for 20 seats, with more to come. We are confident about our chances across all 90 seats," he stated.
Until last week, AAP had maintained a 'wait and watch' stance as negotiations with the Congress encountered obstacles.
AAP demanded 10 seats
Both parties had initially reached an 'in-principle' agreement to form an alliance. AAP demanded 10 seats, but Congress was only willing to offer seven, arguing that AAP had failed to secure the seat it was allotted in Lok Sabha election. AAP was allocated Kurukshetra which the BJP won. The Congress had contested nine other seats and won five.
AAP was eyeing constituencies in the stronghold of Hooda
Sources suggest that for the upcoming assembly election, AAP was eyeing constituencies in the stronghold of Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. However, Hooda was reportedly intent on allocating these seats to his loyalists. Hooda remarked last month that he had not spoken to AAP leaders in Haryana since the general election, and emphasized that the contest in the state is primarily between the BJP and Congress.
On Saturday, Congress leader Deepak Babaria indicated that the party would offer only a "good small number" of seats to AAP.
Despite ongoing discussions, AAP leader Raghav Chadha recently expressed "desire, wish, and hope for an alliance" from both parties. However, he warned that a partnership might not materialize "if there is no win-win situation."
Rahul Gandhi played a role in advancing alliance talks
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reportedly played a role in advancing alliance talks, recognizing the need for a united opposition to counter the BJP in a state that has been a stronghold for the saffron party since 2014. However, AAP's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections gave Congress leverage in the negotiations, a sentiment echoed by several state Congress leaders who expressed concerns over the alliance.
Cong's position has been bolstered
Congress' position has been further bolstered by the induction of wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who have been prominent voices in protests against former wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexual assault. Phogat is set to contest the Julana seat, adding to Congress' confidence.
Discontent within AAP Ranks
There have been rumblings of dissatisfaction within AAP regarding the potential alliance. Somnath Bharti, a three-time MLA from Malviya Nagar, pointed out that the Congress-AAP alliance was completely routed in Delhi in the Lok Sabha elections, losing all seven seats. Bharti said that AAP must "evaluate the effectiveness" of a similar alliance strategy in Haryana. He also noted a perceived lack of support from the Congress during campaigning efforts.
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