AAP and Congress Forge Seat-Sharing Accord Across Delhi and Beyond, Shaping Electoral Landscape for Lok Sabha Polls
New Delhi, 22-02-2024: After facing several setbacks, the INDIA alliance, comprising the principal opposition parties, has found cause for celebration with the finalization of seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Following the recent announcement of a seat-sharing agreement between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has reportedly reached an understanding with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for constituencies in Delhi and beyond.
According to insider sources, an official announcement regarding the seat-sharing pact between the Congress and the AAP is imminent. Under this agreement, the AAP is slated to contest four parliamentary seats in Delhi, while the Congress will field candidates in three constituencies. The AAP is anticipated to vie for representation from South Delhi, West Delhi, New Delhi, and Northwest Delhi, whereas the Congress is expected to focus on East Delhi, Northeast Delhi, and Chandni Chowk.
In a gesture of goodwill, the Congress has conceded its claim over Bharuch in Gujarat, previously held by the late party leader Ahmed Patel, to accommodate the AAP’s interests. Additionally, the Congress has agreed to allow the AAP to contest from Bhavnagar in Gujarat. The AAP had already nominated party MLA Chaitra Vasava as its candidate for Bharuch even before the commencement of seat-sharing negotiations. The Congress, despite its emotional attachment to Bharuch due to its historical significance, including its association with Patel, has relented in the interest of fostering a harmonious alliance.
Sources reveal that as part of the seat-sharing arrangement, the AAP will contest one seat out of ten in Haryana and one out of fourteen in Assam. The AAP had previously announced three Lok Sabha candidates from Assam. In reciprocation, the AAP has relinquished its claim over the South Goa constituency, where it had already declared a candidate, to accommodate the Congress’s sitting Member of Parliament. Similarly, Chandigarh’s seat is earmarked for a Congress candidate as part of the coalition.
In Bihar, discussions regarding the alliance are said to be in their concluding stages, with an official announcement on the seat-sharing arrangement among the INDIA alliance members expected before March 3rd, coinciding with a joint rally scheduled to be held in Patna.
Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced from the AAP camp, claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has purportedly threatened Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with arrest should the AAP enter into an alliance with the Congress. Delhi Minister Atishi asserted during a press conference that representatives of the BJP government at the center have conveyed to Kejriwal the possibility of receiving a notice from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the weekend or Monday, followed by imminent arrest by either the CBI or the Enforcement Directorate in the ensuing days.
