AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday dismissed the possibility of an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, reiterating that his party would contest independently.
Taking to X, Kejriwal stated, “There is no possibility of any alliance with the Congress.” He emphasised that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would rely on its own strength to contest the polls.
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Kejriwal’s remarks follow media reports suggesting a potential tie-up between AAP and Congress for the 70-member Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February. Earlier this month, the AAP leader had similarly denied the possibility of an alliance.
The speculation over a partnership between the two INDIA bloc members gained momentum after the Congress postponed its ‘Nyay Chaupal’ event, which was to feature Rahul Gandhi. The event, meant to conclude the ‘Nyay Yatra’ organised by the Delhi Congress ahead of the elections, was called off, sparking rumours of a tactical adjustment between the two parties.
In another political move, Kejriwal met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday amid growing demands within the INDIA alliance to appoint West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the bloc’s leader. While details of their discussions remain undisclosed, the meeting fuelled further speculation about the evolving dynamics within the opposition grouping.
The AAP and Congress previously contested the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi together earlier this year but failed to win any of the seven seats, which went to the BJP. However, efforts to forge an alliance for the Haryana Assembly elections in October fell apart despite multiple discussions.
With the AAP already announcing 31 candidates in two lists for the Delhi polls, the party is expected to release its remaining candidates soon. Meanwhile, the BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is pulling out all stops to reclaim the capital. In the 2015 and 2020 assembly polls, AAP secured landslide victories, winning 67 and 62 seats respectively, leaving the BJP with just three and eight seats, while the Congress failed to win any.