AAP's hopes soar after Rahul's stand on tie-up

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party was "open and flexible" on the issue of alliances giving an indication that a tie-up with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the capital could still be on the cards.


"There is no confusion on this. The situation is actually very clear. We have been open to constructing alliances and done it across the country. We are very flexible on this issue," Gandhi told reporters when asked about Congress' stand on an alliance with AAP.

Sources said Rahul met Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit and AICC in-charge for Delhi PC Chacko on Tuesday morning to understand their stand on alliance again. While Dikshit vehemently opposed a tie-up, Chacko spoke in favour of an alliance.

While uncertainty in Congress' ranks has been drawing severe criticism from AAP, the latter sounded hopeful after Rahul's statement.

The screening committee of Congress in Delhi, meanwhile, met for almost two hours at Dikshit's residence and finalised the names of possible candidates for seven seats. Chacko said it was a preliminary discussion and the committee may meet again on the issue. Sources, however, said the names have now been sent to the Congress election committee, which will take the final view on it.

Sources said the probable candidates have some new names, including the former political advisor to Sheila Dikshit, Pawan Khera, from East Delhi. Sources added that at least three former MPs who had lost the last time, including Ajay Maken, have expressed their reservation against contesting the upcoming polls if the alliance with AAP doesn't work out. Their names have also been excluded from the list.

The list includes Archana Dalmia, a close aide of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, from New Delhi, Delhi ex-minister Mangat Ram Singhal from

Chandni Chowk

, former Seelampur MLA Mateen Ahmed from

North East Delhi

, former Delhi assembly speaker Yoganand Shastri from South and the two working presidents - Devender Yadav and Rajesh Lilothia - from West and North West Delhi.

"We have announced our candidates just like AAP. In case of an alliance, we will withdraw our candidates from seats that go in AAP's kitty," a senior Congress leader said on anonymity.

The screening committee meeting was preceded by a long meeting of senior Delhi leaders at Dikshit's residence on Tuesday afternoon. The meeting was also attended by Khera for a brief duration. Dikshit, however, refused to comment on the developments.