Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced that the party will not form an alliance with the Congress in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. This decision comes as a jolt to the INDIA bloc, indicating a shift in political dynamics before the upcoming parliamentary polls.
Mamata Banerjee, chief of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), also clarified that her party is not in discussions with the Congress, affirming that the TMC will contest the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state independently.
Addressing the media, Bhagwant Mann stated, “Desh mein Punjab banega hero, Aam Aadmi Party 13-0” and explicitly mentioned, “The AAP is not going with Congress in Punjab.” This announcement follows earlier indications where Mann had suggested that the party’s high command would make the final decision on an alliance with Congress.
Raghav Chadha, an AAP leader, declared in the national capital that this decision marked the beginning of electoral cooperation within the INDIA bloc, aiming to collectively challenge the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections. He emphasized that candidates would be selected based on their winnability.
The political landscape in Punjab has been under scrutiny, especially regarding the possibility of an alliance between the AAP and Congress. The Congress leaders had opposed such a collaboration, citing alleged vendetta actions by the AAP government in the state against them. Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats, and with the AAP having only one MP from the region, the electoral dynamics are gaining significance. The Congress currently holds six sitting MPs in the state.
