Cong mulling alliance with AAP\, Pawar trying to bring them together

Cong mulling alliance with AAP, Pawar trying to bring them together

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Days after having unanimously decided to go it alone in Delhi, the is again mulling options to align with the Party in the national capital, with actively involved in getting the two parties together.

Sources said the leadership is also in talks with leaders and senior leaders within the party are trying to convince Congress leaders for an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led

The Congress had earlier decided to go alone in after talks with AAP failed and local leaders favoured that the party contests LS polls alone. The Congress leaders felt that "saving" the party was crucial in Delhi in view of impending assembly elections in the state slated later.

The Congress has also failed to forge an alliance with left parties in and has been kept out of the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of SP-BSP-RLD in It is learnt that the Congress-RJD seat-sharing is also in troubled waters as the two parties did not declare their candidates on March 17 as promised earlier.

AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress, PC Chacko, said: "I am in consultation with Congress party leaders in Delhi on the possibilities of forging an alliance with AAP.

"The has decided to align with like-minded parties across the country to defeat the in Lok Sabha elections.

"I hope leaders also go by this sentiment and decide on an alliance with AAP, but a final decision will be taken by the Congress very soon," told

Chacko's views are at variance with Delhi Congress Sheila Dikshit, who has made it clear that aligning with AAP will not be in the party's interests keeping in view the assembly election in the national capital slated later.

AAP leader also told reporters after meeting Pawar that with the Constitution, democracy and the country in "danger" under the Modi government, attempts should be made by all opposition parties to unite and come together to fight it out.

"The party can be saved later....there will be enough time to save the party. Right now the attempt should be to save the country and democracy, which is in danger due to the Modi government," he said, without giving details of his meeting with Pawar.

The talks of Congress-AAP alliance gained ground after a meeting of opposition leaders at on February 13, which was attended by both and Arvind Kejriwal, besides Mamata Banerjee. It was here that Pawar proposed that AAP and Congress come together and thereafter talks started between the two leaders..

said some senior leaders in Delhi, who think defeating is the party's immediate responsibility and for which an alliance should be forged with AAP, have written to on the matter.

He, however, said Gandhi will take a final call shortly after consultations within the party.

"I hope our Delhi leaders also follow the policy decision of the CWC. I am talking with them and trying to convince them about this, but if they still decide not to forge an alliance, it is up to them," he said.

The party has announced it will go it alone in Delhi after the Delhi Congress unit told Gandhi that aligning with AAP in LS polls was not in the party's interests.

The Lok Sabha elections in Delhi are slated for May 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Tue, March 19 2019. 16:30 IST