"You are helping BJP": Kejriwal's riposte to Rahul on pre-poll pact

AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said his party is still ready to form an alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh but would not agree for a tie-up just in the national capital.

Representational Picture (AFP)

New Delhi: Injecting a fresh twist into the state's coalition politics, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that his party was willing to give up four Delhi seats to the Aam Aadmi Party even as he accused Arvind Kejriwal of taking another ‘U-turn’ on the coalition pact. Putting the ball in Kejriwal's court, Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said “an alliance between the Congress & AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this. But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn! Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out.” Reacting sharply to Gandhi's tweet, Kejriwal said the Congress chief's post shows the offer of seats is mere sham. "Today, saving the country from Modi-Shah threat is of utmost importance, Unfortunately, the Congress is helping Modi in Uttar Pradesh and other states by cutting into Opposition's votes." The uncertainty over an alliance between the AAP and the Congress has been continuing for weeks now. The talks between the two sides derailed after they failed to reach an agreement over seat-sharing in Delhi and Haryana. AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said his party is still ready to form an alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh but would not agree for a tie-up just in the national capital. Congress' in-charge for Delhi P C Chacko on Friday said Congress will go alone in Delhi since the AAP has taken an "impractical stand".

कौन सा U-टर्न?अभी तो बातचीत चल रही थी

आपका ट्वीट दिखाता है कि गठबंधन आपकी इच्छा नहीं मात्र दिखावा है।मुझे दुःख है आप बयान बाज़ी कर रहे हैं आज देश को मोदी-शाह के ख़तरे से बचाना अहं है।दुर्भाग्य कि आप UP और अन्य राज्यों में भी मोदी विरोधी वोट बाँट कर मोदी जी की मदद कर रहे हैं https://t.co/9jnYXJFA0S — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 15, 2019

The Congress leadership in Delhi is divided over the prospects of the alliance between the two parties. Kejriwal’s AAP had ensured the Congress does not get a fourth term in the national capital in 2015. Reports Delhi Congress president and former CM Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance. She had also reportedly written a letter to Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi warning them to not get into a deal with the AAP as it would be a big blow to the Congress party in the future. Meanwhile, former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken explained in a tweet why a 4-3 formula between AAP-INC is being proposed.

Why 4-3 formula between AAP-INC? Please see the sheet attached and calculations based on 2017 Municipal Elections-which were the immediate last elections in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/QXKsmcluSn

— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) April 15, 2019

Congress had drawn a blank in the 2014 parliamentary elections in Delhi. The talk of alliance was fuelled by the fact that the Congress and AAP had jointly polled more votes than the BJP that had walked away with all the seven seats in the national capital. Delhi has 7 Lok Sabha seats and it will go to polls on May 12. (With additional information from PTI)