'Doesn't Appear To Be Much Scope': Jairam Ramesh Rules Out Alliance With AAP In Delhi, Haryana

Jairam Ramesh stated that the there was not much scope for Congress and AAP to contest assembly polls in Delhi and Haryana together.

All India Congress Committee general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday ruled out the possibility of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party's alliance in Delhi and Haryana Assembly polls, saying that there seems to be "not much scope" for a partnership between the parties. However, he confirmed that the bloc will contest elections together in Jharkhand and Maharashtra assembly elections.

The revelation was made by Jairam Ramesh in an interview with news agency PTI, where he said that there is no one formula the I.N.D.I.A bloc will follow for state elections.

"The grouping will fight together in states where Congress leaders and other alliance partners agree to such an understanding," he said.

Answering to whether the alliance will contest assembly polls together going forward like it did in the Lok Sabha elections, Ramesh said the alliance will do so in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

"There is no I.N.D.I.A 'janbandhan' in Punjab. In Haryana, we had given one seat to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Lok Sabha polls but I don't think that INDIA janbandhan will be there for assembly polls. In Delhi, the AAP itself has said that I.N.D.I.A janbandhan will not be there for assembly polls," Ramesh added.

In the parliamentary elections, the Congress and AAP had contested together in Delhi, while they fought separately in Punjab.

'No One Formula On Which Assembly Polls Will Be Done'

Jairam Ramesh also said that the alliance will remain in stated where leaders want it, such as in states like Maharashtra. "In the context of West Bengal also, I had said that the INDIA bloc is for Lok Sabha polls but in states where the circumstances are such that our leaders of the state and leaders of our alliance partners want, the alliance will remain. In Maharashtra, the alliance will be there with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SCP)," the Congress leader said.

"In Jharkhand, we have an alliance with the Jharkhand Mukti Morch. Where state Congress leaders and the respective alliance parties agree, there will be an alliance," he said, adding "there is no one formula on which the alliance will be done for assembly polls."

On being asked as to whether there would be an alliance in Haryana and Delhi, Ramesh responded: "There does not appear to be much scope (for alliance) in Delhi and Haryana."   

AAP's Delhi state convener Gopal Rai had stated last month that his party's alliance with the Congress was merely for the Lok Sabha polls. He had further hinted that the ruling party in the national capital will contest next year's Assembly polls solo.

Ramesh asserted that the I.N.D.I alliance partners are united in Parliament and augmented by the Biju Janata Dal in Rajya Sabha, PTI reported.

"The YSRCP has its compulsions. Their soul is with I.N.D.I.A but their body is with Mr. Narendra Modi. We are going to be aggressive, we are going to be proactive, we want a debate, we want a discussion but we will not be allowed to be bulldozed like the way we have been over the last 10 years," Ramesh said.

Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra later this year, while in Delhi the polls will be held early next year.