Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday categorically denied any alliance talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or any other party for the May 19 Lok Sabha elections in the state. “The Congress does not need any alliance in Punjab, nor is it in talks with any party for the same,” Amarinder said here.
Asked to comment on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s statement that talks for alliance in Punjab are in progress, Amarinder said though he is not aware of any such statement, the Congress does not need any allies in Punjab. Exuding massive confidence about the Congress prospects in the parliamentary elections, the Chief Minister said the party is “gung-ho” about these polls, as is evident from the fact that it has chosen Ahmedabad — the home turf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. “This clearly shows the level of enthusiasm in the party, which is literally ready to take the BJP by its horns,” he said.
He said that the decision of final names of candidates to contest the 13 Lok Sabha seats will be taken soon. “There is no hurry. The polling date is more than two months away. The party has a lot of time to select its candidates,” Amarinder said. Asked to comment on the time lag in the polling date for Punjab, the Chief Minister said it is the Election Commission’s prerogative and he cannot, therefore, say anything on the issue. Amarinder expressed happiness that the Kartarpur Corridor project has remained on track despite the recent tensions at the border.