Punjab Congress State president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday said that the party ‘high command’ has so far not conveyed to the State unit about any “alliance or seat sharing” with the INDIA bloc partner, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), for next year’s general election.
Mr. Warring was speaking in New Delhi after the meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) where leaders such as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Rahul Gandhi, and general secretary K.C. Venugopal were present.
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“There has been a lot of talk in the media about the alliance and seat sharing with the AAP... So far, the leadership (central) has not held any discussion on this issue (alliance-seat sharing), not even in today’s meeting,” he said.
Notably, several senior leaders — including the Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa — have been critical of an alliance with the AAP and have consistently suggested that the party’s ‘high command’ not go ahead with such ties in Punjab. They alleged that the AAP had unleashed a “witch-hunt” campaign against the Congress leaders and workers by misusing the police and investigation agencies.
Many party members were of the opinion that if Congress contests the elections in alliance with the AAP, it would prove disastrous for the party in the State. It would be difficult for the Congressmen to “face” the voters, given the fact that the Congress is the key Opposition party and has been cornering the AAP government on several issues.
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Mr. Warring said the party leaders presented their views on the issue, and central leadership valued the views. “The final decision would be of the central leadership,” he said.
“The discussion in the PAC was focused on the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, about the issues that we need to take among the people. How in the next six months we would prepare ourselves. Everyone presented their viewpoints,” he added.
