Last Updated: September 05, 2023, 20:51 IST
Rahul Gandhi (left) and Arvind Kejriwal. (Twitter)
During a meeting of party leaders and senior Congress leaders at Punjab Congress Bhavan, a number of those present raised their hand to oppose any alliance with the AAP
Bringing to the fore the differences in the Congress over contesting elections to the Punjab Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the local leadership of the party met in Chandigarh on Tuesday and vehemently opposed any move to forge a tie-up for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The meeting came just a day after State Finance minister and senior AAP Leader Harpal Singh Cheema said that the AAP would contest the upcoming parliamentary elections in the state in alliance with the Congress “in order to save the country”. There are a total 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab, besides Chandigarh. Currently, the Congress has six members of Parliament (MP) from Punjab.
During a meeting of party leaders and senior Congress leaders at Punjab Congress Bhavan, a number of those present raised their hand to oppose any alliance with the AAP. At least three former ministers, who were present in the meeting, strongly opposed any such alliance. The top brass of the party was told by those attending that any coalition with only result in revival of Akali Dal as Congress workers were against any such move.
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief and leader of opposition were asked to strongly take up the case with the high command during a party meeting on the sidelines of the CWC meeting to be held in Hyderabad on September 16.
Although a few leaders admitted that as there was a national tie-up, contesting the polls in the state was almost inevitable. Cheema, when asked about local leadership being averse to any tie-up, said that as the decision was taken at the national level, it was meaningless for the state unit to oppose it.
Punjab Congress Chief Raja Warring although said that no resolution was moved at the meeting, but admitted that the leaders expressed their resentment to any alliance with AAP and have sought that their concerns be conveyed to the party high command. “The leaders were of the opinion that their role as the principal opposition party would come to an end with this alliance. Not just our cadres, but also our leaders will start moving out. We shall not be able to attack the ruling party, which has been our main agenda,” said a leader.
