Open to stitching alliances: Rahul Gandhi on possible tie-up with AAP in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Amid continued uncertainty over its tie-up with Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party was open to stitching alliances across the country and was "very flexible" on the issue.


"There is no confusion on this. The situation is actually very clear on this issue. We have constructed alliances."

"We have been open to construct alliances and we have done it across the country. We are very flexible on this issue," he told reporters when asked about the Congress' stand on its alliance in Delhi.

He also denied that Congress has not been able to firm up alliances in several parts of the state and said the party has stitched alliances with like-minded parties in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and some other states.

"We have an alliance in Bihar, we have an alliance in Jharkhand, we have an alliance in Tamil Nadu, we have an alliance in Maharashtra, so, I do not know where you are getting (this) ... which newspapers you are reading, but, as far as I can see we have alliances across the country," he said while denying reports of Congress being unable to form alliances in several states.

An air of uncertainty has shrouded the Congress's alliance with

AAP

in Delhi and the party has left it to Rahul Gandhi to take a decision in this regard.

The Congress had earlier decided to go it alone and has also started the process of finalising its candidates for Delhi.

The party unit in Delhi is divided on the issue with a section for and another against an alliance.

The party has been dilly-dallying on the issue and has not been able to take or announce its decision in this regard. A meeting of top party leaders in this regard was held today.

Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit met party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. The meeting, which lasted for around 20 minutes, was also attended by AICC in charge of Delhi PC Chacko.

The AAP has been criticising the Congress leadership and has accused the party of "arrogance" in firming up an alliance with it in Delhi.

AAP convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that Rahul Gandhi has rejected an alliance with AAP.