The crucial seat sharing talks between the Congress and the AAP for states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Goa and Delhi progressed well with AAP convenor Gopal Rai stating that seat-sharing formula would be finalised in the subsequent meeting. A report by Pawan Kumar Bansal
Leaders of INDIA alliance partners insisted on rising above petty considerations for achieving the goal of ousting ‘communal and anti-minorities’ BJP from the power. Although inducting former Haryana CM Om Parksh Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal into the alliance in Haryana was not officially discussed in the meeting but there was broader consensus on the issue which will be taken up later on. It is believed that once Bihar CM Nitish Kumar joins as convenor of the INDIA alliance, the issue of including INLD in the alliance be addressed. Nitish Kumar had a good relationship with Devi Lal, former deputy Prime Minister, who was the architect of the anti-Congress alliance, thirty four years back.
Nitish Kumar is pursuing the issue of inducting INLD into INDIA bloc in Haryana. Gopal Rai told newsmen in Delhi after the talks that out of these five states, AAP does not have a presence in the Haryana assembly. It is interesting to mention here that the Aam Aadmi party in Haryana had suffered serious set-back with former Haryana Minister Nirmal Singh and his daughter Chitra Sarwara, who held key positions in the party, subsequently quitting the party and joining the Congress. More senior leaders of the party are reportedly in touch with both Congress as well as BJP, and may quit the party any time. AAP has sixty two out of seventy MLAs in Delhi: Ninety two out of one hundred seventeen in Punjab: four out of one hundred eighty two in Gujarat and two out of forty in Goa. Beaming Gopal Rai said that discussions were positive and we will contest the elections as alliance partners of INDIA to defeat NDA.
Congress general secretary Mukal Wasnik, National Alliance Committee member Ashok Gehlot, Delhi and Haryana incharge Deepak Babaria, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arvind Singh Lovely, AAP national general secretary Sandeep Pathak and Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj attended the meeting held in Delhi. Gopal Rai said that the seat sharing issue will be discussed in the next round of meetings. The Punjab Unit of Congress party had opposed alliance with AAP in Punjab accusing Bhagwan Maan-led Punjab government of indulging in politics of “vendetta ” against its leadership, but their views were brushed aside by the national leadership.
