New Delhi [India], February 22: Arvinder Singh Lovely, the president of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC), revealed on Thursday a significant development in the political landscape of the national capital. He announced an alliance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, specific details of the seat-sharing agreement between the two parties are yet to be officially confirmed.
According to Lovely, the Congress and AAP, as partners in the INDIA bloc, will jointly contest the Lok Sabha polls not only in Delhi but also across the country. While the specifics of the seat distribution are set to be disclosed soon, inside sources suggest a tentative four-three alliance, with AAP contesting four seats and Congress fielding candidates for three.
The breakthrough in negotiations came after extensive discussions throughout the week, including a crucial meeting at the residence of Congress heavyweight KC Venugopal in Delhi. Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik represented the Congress, while Sandeep Pathak, Saurabh Bhardwaj, and Atishi represented the AAP during the discussions.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019, the BJP secured victory in all seven seats in Delhi. However, in 2004, the Congress won six seats, with the BJP securing one. In 2009, the Congress swept all seven seats in the national capital.
Meanwhile, discussions also involved potential collaboration beyond Delhi. The Congress is reportedly considering offering one seat to AAP in Haryana, with AAP likely to reciprocate support for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Additionally, in Gujarat, where the BJP holds power, the AAP has purportedly demanded three seats from the Congress, although final agreement on this matter is still pending.
The AAP’s dominance in Delhi politics, evident from its landslide victories in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections, has positioned it as a formidable force. With the alliance between the Congress and AAP, a significant shift in the political dynamics of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is anticipated.