CHANDIGARH
Despite being part of the national I.N.D.I.A alliance, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are facing turbulence over the issue of a potential alliance in Punjab for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Both parties have unequivocally squashed speculation of a state-level alliance.
Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made it clear in a media interview that his party has the capability to “contest an election alone, win an election alone, and run a government alone.”
On a similar note, AAP minister Anmol Gagan Mann, in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, asserted that there was “no chance” of forming an alliance with Congress for the Lok Sabha elections. The minister emphasised the responsibility AAP feels toward its electorate, stating, “People of Punjab have elected our party with great hope. We have promises to fulfil.”
Although Congress and AAP share a platform at the national level through the I.N.D.I.A alliance, the rift between the two parties has been widening in Punjab. A recent meeting of Congress leaders in Chandigarh revealed that the majority were opposed to aligning with AAP for the state’s Lok Sabha election. Party President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring facilitated a two-day meeting to gauge the sentiments of the leadership. The consensus was clear: given the AAP government’s actions against Congress leaders, including registering cases and taking vigilance actions over the past 18 months, an alliance was out of the question.
Pratap Singh Bajwa, when questioned about his stance on a potential alliance, remained tight-lipped but did comment that AAP and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s treatment of Congress leaders over the past year and a half has made it clear that an alliance is not on Congress’ agenda.
As for what comes next, state president and CLP leaders will be attending a Congress Working Committee meeting in Bengaluru on September 26 to present their detailed reports and opinions to the party’s high command.
The dismissal by both parties of a possible alliance for the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab speaks volumes about the challenges of translating national-level cooperation to state-level politics. With elections on the horizon, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact the electoral landscape of Punjab.