In New Delhi, the contender for Congress in North East Delhi, Kanhaiya Kumar, convened with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s spouse, Sunita, at her domicile, pledging his backing to the coalition’s endeavor to safeguard the Constitution and democratic principles.
Addressing journalists post the encounter, Kumar articulated, “We confront the authoritarian regime that looms over our nation. Collectively, we shall safeguard the tenets of democracy and the Constitution.” When queried about the potentiality of joint canvassing by AAP and Congress, Kanhaiya responded, “Our contest extends beyond the confines of Delhi, encompassing all 543 constituencies across INDIA. Our solidarity is resolute. Any strategic formulation will not be singularly tailored for one faction or candidate but will be in the interests of Delhi’s populace. It transcends the pursuit of an individual’s premiership, parliamentary representation, or the unilateral governance of a single party.”
He underscored that the electoral battle epitomizes a quest for the dignity of Delhi’s denizens. “Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was unjustly incarcerated. The rights of Delhi’s residents were usurped through the promulgation of an ordinance contravening the apex court’s ruling. Delhi’s populace endured indignity,” he lamented. When questioned about the repercussions of Arvinder Singh Lovely’s resignation as Delhi Congress chief and his censure of Kanhaiya’s candidacy, he dismissed such occurrences as routine during elections.
“Instances akin to those witnessed in Surat and Indore abound. Fortuitously, your candidates stand unwavering, affording you the opportunity to exercise your franchise. It merits contemplation. Such resignations or discord with candidates within a party during electoral cycles are not unprecedented,” he remarked. In his missive of resignation dispatched to the Congress president, Lovely bemoaned feeling “handicapped” as decisions ratified unanimously by senior leaders of the Delhi unit were unilaterally overridden by Deepak Babaria, the AICC’s Delhi in-charge.
The Delhi Congress echelon opposed collaboration with AAP, yet the central leadership proceeded notwithstanding, thereby spotlighting the factional schism within the party. Kanhaiya and Udit Raj, Congress’s contender from North West Delhi, faced rebuke for their prior pronouncements and were dubbed as “outsiders” to the party.
AAP legislator Durgesh Pathak likened the plight of opposition candidates to scenarios reminiscent of Hindi films from the 1980s. “We witness instances where opposition nominees have their candidacies annulled or are apprehended. Such occurrences hark back to the narratives portrayed in Amitabh Bachchan’s and Mithun’s films of the ’70s and ’80s,” he remarked.
Pathak emphasized that discussions pertaining to coordination between the two parties did not transpire, with a separate meeting slated for the purpose. “Booth-level operatives from AAP and Congress shall collaborate to strategize the attainment of triumph at every booth, street, and enclave,” he appended. Former president of the JNU Students’ Union, Kumar, was confined in Tihar in 2016 on charges of sedition, stemming from his arrest by the Delhi Police on February 12, 2016, in connection to an event at JNU where purportedly anti-national slogans were raised.
