As TMC, SP Back AAP In Delhi Polls, Congress Says 'Sacrificing Many Things' For INDIA Bloc
Two INDIA alliance allies, SP and TMC, have pledged support to the ruling AAP in the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections. The alliance members aim to support stronger local parties to defeat the BJP.
Ahead of Delhi Assembly Elections, the grand old party, Indian National Congress, seems to be in a fix, as two of its INDIA alliance allies have pledged support to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi Elections scheduled in February next month. After Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP), now Trinamool Congress has also extended support to the AAP in Delhi Assembly Elections.
Unlike Lok Sabha Elections 2024, which the AAP and the Congress contested together, this time, both the parties are contesting separately. While the results of General Elections held last year drew zero seats to their alliance in Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party grabbed all seven seats of the national capital for the third consecutive time since 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.
Akhilesh Yadav, as reporetd by NDTV, said, "The SP... Congress... AAP. All of us want to win in Delhi. We want this alliance to continue... the AAP is in a strong position in Delhi... but it has become AAP vs Congress in Delhi. It is my suggestion the INDIA bloc should support the AAP..."
He also highlighted that INDIA alliance members had said they would support local, or regional, parties wherever they might stand a better chance of defeating the the saffron party.
"When alliance was formed it was said, 'wherever local party is strong, INDIA will strengthen it. AAP is strong in Delhi... that is why Samajwadi Party has given its support..." Yadav said, "Our aim is BJP should be defeated..."
Reacting to Akhilesh Yadav's comment, Congess general secretary KC Venugopal said, "We respect the sentiments of all INDIA alliance parties. But, they should also understand that Congress is sacrificing so many things for INDIA alliance."
#WATCH | Delhi | Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says, "Mohan Bhagwat's statement is quite anti-national. You know thousands of Indians sacrificed their lives for the Indian freedom struggle. Mohan Bhagwat yesterday said that India did not gain independence in 1947. He… pic.twitter.com/0ag4HzHwQx
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2025
Abhishek Banerjee, National General Secretary, Trinamool Congress, echoed the same what Akhilesh said. He said, as reported by The Times of India, "When the INDIA alliance was formed, we decided that wherever the regional parties are strong let them take the fight against BJP. For example DMK in Tamil Nadu, JMM in Jharkhand. So in Delhi, who do you think can beat the BJP? It's AAP. So why shall I not support the party that can defeat the BJP? Ultimately, that's the cause. Why shall we help the BJP by not supporting AAP?".