No tie-up with Congress, AAP names 20 for Haryana elections

NEW DELHI: Talks between Congress and AAP for a tie-up in Haryana collapsed on Monday, with Arvind Kejriwal's outfit declaring candidates for 20 seats, including 12 for which Congress has already announced its nominees.

AAP's decision came after Congress cold shouldered its demand for at least 10 of the 90 seats. Congress never agreed to give more than 4-5 and there, too, insisted that AAP field candidates in urban seats identified by AICC.

Although the two sides seemed reluctant to acknowledge the failure of negotiations, the outcome, as signified by AAP's declaration of 20 candidates, surprised few. The decision of the two parties to have a tie-up pulled against their public declarations that their alliance was limited to the Lok Sabha polls. Congress, seemingly hopeful of a comeback in Haryana after a decade in opposition, had even started playing the opposition in Delhi by demanding action in the excise scam.

Congress's state unit, in particular, opposed the idea of a tie-up as it was dismissive of AAP's claim to be a "force" in Haryana and had conveyed its stance to the central leadership.

Congress's state unit, in particular, opposed the idea of a tie-up as it was dismissive of AAP's claim to be a "force" in Haryana and had conveyed its stance to the central leadership, which was keen on an alliance for the sake of sending a message of larger opposition unity.

The first signs of an impasse appeared late Sunday night when Congress released a list of nine candidates, adding to its earlier 32, in what was a nudge to AAP to make up its mind and accept Congress's terms.

Congress unfazed by AAP call to go it alone in Haryana polls
AAP's decision to return the compliment with its own list gave a clear sign of confrontation.

Although the two sides' reluctance to announce the demise of talks appeared leaving the door ajar for a last-minute twist, the parties were already preparing to contest separately.

AAP's Haryana unit chief Sushil Kumar Gupta said the party would fight on all 90 seats and another list of 20 candidates would be released soon. "We waited a lot for Congress to respond to our proposal but there was no response. So, it is not our mistake, and we have to declare candidates before the last date of nomination on Sept 12," he said. On Sunday, AAP negotiator Raghav Chadha had said Congress and AAP were trying to forge an alliance by keeping aside their individual aspirations.

AAP functionary Sanjay Singh said the party would fight the Haryana polls with full strength. Gupta, too, reiterated that AAP had been preparing for 90 seats from day one and was confident of going into the fight solo.

Congress appeared unfazed by AAP going it alone, with senior functionaries arguing that the election in Haryana would be a bipolar contest between BJP and Congress, and there was little interest among voters for minor outfits.

Congress and AAP fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat, but separately in Punjab. In the 2019 Haryana polls, AAP had contested 46 seats, but failed to win any.

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