New Delhi:
Sources have said that Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are on the verge of an agreement to divide the seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi. This comes a day after it agreed to a deal with the Samajwadi Party for 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh – the first major pact between members of India’s opposition faction.
The Congress and AAP – which led India to its first victory in the Chandigarh mayoral election (after the intervention of the Supreme Court) – have reportedly agreed on a four-three split in favor of the latter.
A statement is expected soon but, if true, the agreement marks another important step for the Congress-led faction, which is struggling to make sense in the weeks before the elections.
Can Delhi deal open the way for Panab?
It is not yet clear whether the Delhi alliance of Congress-AAP will help in breaking the deadlock in Punjab. Hopes of a compromise in that state – which AAP won from the Congress in February 2022 – were dashed when Arvind Kejriwal last week said his party would contest all 13 seats in the border state.
While doing so the AAP chief took a dig and declared that it would be difficult for the people of Punjab to remember any “good work” of the previous administration. He also clarified that his party intends to field a candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Chandigarh, which has been held by BJP’s Kirron Kher since 2014.
Read | Arvind Kejriwal’s Punjab announcement a blow to Bharat Bloc unity
The inability of Congress-AAP to find common ground in Punjab has underlined the tensions within the Indian faction, with smaller/regional members unable to agree seat-share agreements with the former party.
This inefficiency is further increased in Punjab due to opposition from their state leaders. Last month, Pratap Singh Bajwa, one of the top state leaders of the Congress, told NDTV that it was not possible for the two to remain allies.
“This is what the Congress cadre (always) wanted in Punjab…(in Punjab) they are in the government and we are the principal opposition,” Bajwa said. How can we both come together…”
Read | “Thank you, hon Sir“: Congress leader on AAP’s single plan
He had warned, “If we unite…anti-incumbency votes will either go to BJP or Akali Dal…”
Founded in June to unify the opposition and defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party — the opposition group has already lost a key member — Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and, potentially, From Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtra Lok Dal – both to BJP.
Bengal’s ruling Trinamool has walked out of the group again, rejecting seat-sharing talks after Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury continued attacks on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Congress-Samajwadi Party deal
Recently, 48 hours ago, no agreement seemed possible even with the Samajwadi Party.
However, this was changed after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stepped in; Sources told NDTV that she personally reached out to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to work out the details of a deal.
Ultimately, the two agreed to a 63-17 split in UP’s 80 seats, giving the Congress its family bastions Rae Bareli and Amethi as well as Mr Modi’s constituency Varanasi.
Read | India Block’s UP seat sharing agreement finalized, Congress gets 17 seats
The names of the candidates have not been announced yet, but there is already speculation that this could be the much-awaited election debut of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, with all three likely.
Read | After Sonia Gandhi going to Rajya Sabha, the discussion regarding her Rae Bareli seat has intensified.
With Sonia Gandhi moving from Lok Sabha to Rajya Sabha, the door to Rae Bareli has been left open, Rahul Gandhi is likely to stay in Wayanad, Kerala i.e. Amethi is also an option. And, of course he could be fielded from Varanasi to go head-to-head with the Prime Minister, in what would be an epic political battle.
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