Punjab Congress Opposes Alliance With AAP, BJP's Amit Malviya Terms Oppn Unity A 'Stillborn Idea'

The statement of the Punjab Leader of Opposition comes less than a week after the Opposition formed an alliance of 26 parties, under the name Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

New Delhi: Days after the Opposition parties came together under an alliance I.N.D.I.A, Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa expressed disapproval over joining hands with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state and said he would meet party president Mallikarjun Kharge in this regard, news agency ANI reported.

“Congress for a long time has been one of the two major parties of Punjab...People wanted a change, they brought these people (AAP) to power and people have been suffering...Punjab has been suffering be it economically, law and order and otherwise also. I am sure in the 2024 parliamentary elections, Congress will come back with a big margin. One alliance is led by BJP, the other by Congress, so when people cast their vote it is going to be either for BJP or for Congress. AAP does not figure anywhere. Why should we form an alliance with AAP,” ANI quoted Bajwa as saying.

“Punjab Congress unit is completely against this. I will meet Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday and will request him to not forge an alliance with them (AAP). We were not in alliance with them in past and will not be in future too,” Bajwa added.

The statement of the Punjab Leader of Opposition comes less than a week after the Opposition formed an alliance of 26 parties, under the name Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. The alliance, which included the AAP and Congress, was formed to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Responding to Bajwa’s remarks, Punjab AAP spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang, said despite the internal differences, the Opposition parties stitched up an alliance to form a platform against the BJP ahead of the general elections.

“The first question is why this alliance (opposition alliance) happened. It has happened because all parties which are there in I.N.D.I.A want to save the country. We all have ideological differences but we have to rise above our personal differences...This is an internal matter of Partap Singh Bajwa and his party. But one thing on INDIA I would say is it is to save the existence of the nation and it is a big platform against BJP,” Kang told ANI.

Meanwhile, taking a dig at Bajwa’s remark, BJP I-T cell head Amit Malviya said the Opposition alliance is a “stillborn idea”.

Taking to Twitter, Malviya wrote, “Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa rubbishes AAP, asks what is the need for an alliance? Well, if this is what the Congress LoP in Punjab thinks, then he is basically telling Rahul Gandhi and team, who are striking deals with AAP, to take a walk… Opposition alliance is a still born idea.”