The announcement of a seat-sharing accord for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the national capital unfolded after weeks of suspense and negotiations. The coalition between the INDIA partners AAP and Congress unveiled its distribution of seats for Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Goa.
According to the accord inked between the ruling Delhi party and the venerable Congress, the latter is slated to contend in three out of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital. Simultaneously, the AAP will field candidates in the remaining four constituencies.
The joint press conference, featuring prominent leaders from both factions in the capital, saw Congress general secretary and MP Mukul Wasnik disclosing the allocation. Congress, under this agreement, will vie for the Chandni Chowk, North East, and North West seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“As common knowledge dictates, Delhi’s Lok Sabha encompasses seven seats. AAP will engage in the electoral battle for four seats – New Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi, and East Delhi. Meanwhile, Congress will stake its claim on three constituencies – Chandni Chowk, North East, and North West,” elucidated Wasnik. This electoral season marks a historic departure where the members of the Gandhi family will cast their votes for a party other than their own in the New Delhi constituency, a seat gracefully relinquished to the AAP by the grand old party.
In the neighboring state of Gujarat, the Congress is set to contest in 24 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats, generously leaving the remaining two, Bharuch and Bhavnagar, for the AAP. “Within the gamut of Gujarat’s 26 Lok Sabha seats, Congress will assert its presence in 24, while AAP will field candidates in Bharuch and Bhavnagar,” articulated the Congress luminary.
Haryana, in this political tapestry, witnesses Congress staking its claim on eight out of the nine Lok Sabha seats, with the AAP reserving its prowess for the solitary seat of Kurukshetra. Wasnik specified, “Out of the 10 LS seats in Haryana, Congress will engage in the electoral fray for nine, while the AAP will vie for the remaining one – Kurukshetra.”
The concord extended to the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, with Wasnik confirming, “After extensive deliberation on Chandigarh, consensus tilted in favor of Congress, and our candidate will contend for the seat.”
The seat-sharing arrangement also earmarked both Lok Sabha seats in Goa for the Congress. Notably, the AAP, despite its lackluster performance in the past Assembly elections in Goa, forged an agreement, allocating both seats to the grand old party. “As a corollary of this agreement, Congress will assert its presence in both Lok Sabha seats in Goa,” added Wasnik.
In the echelons of the INDIA bloc, leaders extolled this strategic move, emphasizing its potential to secure triumph in the imminent assembly polls. Despite the protracted negotiations with the Congress, AAP consistently underscored its pivotal role in the INDIA alliance.
“Today, the seat-sharing details for multiple states within the INDIA alliance have been unveiled, encompassing Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Goa, and Chandigarh. Whether Congress or AAP, the overarching focus remains on the nation’s welfare rather than party interests,” articulated Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi in an interview with ANI. The INDIA alliance, as asserted by Atishi, is poised to clinch victories in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Goa. Kejriwal, the driving force behind the INDIA alliance, found himself besieged with threats as soon as the seat-sharing details reached finality.
“We were forewarned that should we persist in this alliance, the CBI would level charges against Arvind Kejriwal after the ED. Intelligence intimates that a notice from the CBI is imminent on Monday, potentially leading to Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest,” he disclosed. Echoing this sentiment, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj conveyed, “Our collaboration with Congress has materialized across several states today. In Delhi, AAP contends for four seats and Congress for three. In Haryana (with 10 seats), AAP’s electoral footprint extends to one, while Congress claims the remainder. In Gujarat (with 26 seats), AAP vies for two – Bhavnagar and Bharuch, leaving the rest to Congress. Congress takes charge in the seats allocated to Chandigarh and Goa, while in Punjab, both Congress and AAP chart their independent courses. The dialogue continues in Assam.”
AAP MP Sandeep Pathak accentuated the alliance’s formation in the nation’s interest. “This alliance crystallized with the nation’s welfare in focus. Congress and AAP each secure their electoral bastions. However, the overarching narrative remains our collective fight in the elections, ultimately ensuring the nation’s triumph,” he affirmed.
Haryana’s Leader of Opposition, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, lauded the alliance’s decision, affirming a resolute battle for the nation’s benefit. He underscored various challenges like unemployment and agricultural woes faced by Haryana’s farmers, emphasizing the people’s pivotal role as decision-makers.
In a scathing retort to the alliance between Congress and AAP, the BJP labeled it as ‘Thugbandhan’ (deceitful alliance). BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla derided the contradictory nature of the alliance, citing instances where they compete against each other in Punjab while espousing unity in Delhi.
“This is truly a ‘Thugbandhan’ (INDIA alliance). The convoluted and conflicting nature is perplexing. In Punjab, they engage in hostilities, while in Delhi, they foster unity. They align with Lalu Yadav and Sonia Gandhi, individuals they previously sought to incarcerate,” he scornfully remarked.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari predicted disillusionment among AAP workers due to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s apparent shift in stance towards Congress. He drew a parallel with the saying ‘chor chor mausere bhai’ (thieves acknowledging each other), suggesting an unexpected alliance between parties with prior animosity.
“Challenges persist for the BJP. This collaboration won’t impede our progress. In 2019, the BJP amassed more votes than Congress and AAP combined. The electoral landscape has shifted, with a prevailing storm in favor of PM Modi. Delhi is poised to contribute over 70% of its votes to the BJP,” asserted BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri confidently.