The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a member of the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), has declared that seat sharing will not be a major concern for Opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, instead, the overarching objective will be to unseat the BJP from power. AAP MP Sanjay Singh during a press conference held on Sunday spoke about the issue of seat distribution within the I.N.D.I.A bloc and stated that no definitive decisions have been reached on this matter.
He stressed that Seat sharing 'is not even a big issue' at this juncture. "The aim of the I.N.D.I.A is only to remove the BJP from power," Singh underscored, as quoted by news agency PTI.
He further mentioned that the alliance committee is scheduled to convene in October to deliberate on the seat-sharing formula.
Regarding the AAP's role in this alliance, Singh stated that the party's leadership would put forth its proposal to the alliance committee in October.
In response to queries about the number of Lok Sabha seats the AAP, currently holding power in Delhi and Punjab, intends to contest in Uttar Pradesh, the AAP MP said while he refrained from disclosing any specific details on the matter.
Singh also seized the opportunity to comment on the recent defeat of the BJP in the Ghosi assembly by-election in Uttar Pradesh. He interpreted this electoral outcome as the initial tremor of what he termed as the BJP's impending decline. According to Singh, the public has firmly resolved to oust the BJP from power, with the I.N.D.I.A bloc leading the charge.
"The public has made up its mind to defeat the BJP. The INDIA has taken the lead, this has now been proved," he said, as per PTI.
Furthermore, Singh asserted that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is apprehensive about the growing influence of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. He alleged that this apprehension has driven discussions about encouraging Bharat as the name of the country.
"The Constitution of the country says that 'India is Bharat' but the government is intent on changing the Constitution," he remarked.
Singh also commented on Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar criticising his decision to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"I respected Om Prakash Rajbhar. He had attacked the BJP for the backward classes but he joined the BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) for power. Rajbhar should reconsider his decision. There is no place for people of backward communities and Dalits in the BJP," the AAP leader said, as reported by PTI.