 |
|
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) are on the verge of forming an alliance for the upcoming Haryana Assembly election, with an announcement expected on September 9, 2024. The two parties have been engaged in intense negotiations over the past 48 hours, seemingly resolving their differences regarding seat allocation. Sources from both parties suggest that the alliance is imminent, marking a significant political development in the state.
AAP's potential share in the alliance includes five to six seats in the 90-member Haryana Assembly. The party has identified key constituencies like Pehowa, Gulha, Jind, Kalayat, and Gurugram, along with a possible seat in Sirsa bordering Punjab. Notably, three of these seats fall within the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency, where AAP's state president Sushil Gupta contested earlier this year. AAP has shown particular interest in Jind and Kalayat, with Mr. Gupta and party senior vice-president Anurag Dhanda likely to contest from these seats respectively. However, the alliance negotiations have been complex, with a senior Congress leader also seeking a ticket for his son from Kalayat.
While AAP has secured crucial seats, its demands for Sohna and Ballabgarh were rejected by Congress. This, coupled with internal dissent within AAP, has sparked concerns regarding the potential impact of the alliance. Somnath Bharti, an AAP Delhi MLA and former minister, publicly voiced his opposition to the alliance, citing the lack of support from Congress for AAP candidates during the Delhi Lok Sabha elections. He expressed the sentiment shared by other AAP leaders who believe that aligning with Congress will harm the party's long-term prospects, given their history of opposing each other. They worry that the alliance could lead to Congress demanding seats in the Delhi Assembly election, scheduled for early next year, posing a challenge to AAP's dominance in the national capital. The question of how to persuade AAP supporters to accept the alliance, especially those who view Congress as a political rival, also remains a point of contention.
Source: Congress-AAP alliance for Haryana Assembly election likely to be announced on September 9