Congress, AAP Delhiseat-sharing goes awry

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has given indication that it is not looking forward to any alliance with the Congress either in Delhi or Punjab. While both the parties agreed to fight separately in Punjab, a four-three deal was on the cards in Delhi. But the AAP countered it by saying the Congress didn’t have any strength in Delhi and one seat should be good enough. The Congress is not going to settle for one seat and the division of anti-BJP votes now appears unavoidable. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken, a close Rahul Gandhi aide, was arguably the strongest Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha from the INDIA bloc, which is already beleaguered by the desertion of JD(U) and RLD as well as Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s announcement that her party will fight all 42 seats in West Bengal. Rahul is learnt to have told Kejriwal that the discussions should continue and both sides need to be accommodative.