Senior AAP leader Somnath Bharti has expressed strong reservations against his party’s alliance with the Congress in Haryana for the October 5 Assembly elections, highlighting the Lok Sabha elections 2024 experience when the two parties fought together in Delhi but failed to win a single seat.

“Before the AAP-Congress alliance is inked in Haryana, Aam Aadmi Party must evaluate the effectiveness of a similar alliance formed in Delhi during the Lok Sabha elections,” Bharti stated.

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He recounted how, despite AAP’s efforts to support Congress candidates, the same level of backing was not reciprocated.

“My national convenor Arvind Kejriwal did roadshows for all three Congress candidates, and senior AAP leaders and cabinet ministers campaigned for them. However, AAP candidates, especially myself, were not supported at all, particularly by Congress Delhi and local leaders,” Bharti said.

Bharti also claimed that senior Congress leader Ajay Maken refused to meet AAP leaders during the Lok Sabha polls and accused some Congress leaders of supporting BJP candidates for money.

“Local leaders like Jitender Kochchar in Malviya Nagar worked against this alliance and sought votes for BJP’s MP candidate, allegedly for money,” he added.

He also pointed out the Congress votebank could not be consolidated as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and, Mallikarjun Kharge didn’t campaign in constituencies of AAP candidates.

“No event of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, or Mallikarjun Kharge was organized in our parliamentary constituencies to consolidate Congress votes in our favor,” he said.

Terming the alliance with the Congress “misfit and selfish”, Bharti further underscored the sentiment among AAP supporters regarding their tie-up with the Congress.

“Supporters of AAP are majorly not in favour of such a misfit and selfish alliance, and AAP should contest on all seats in Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi on its own,” Bharti asserted.

He emphasised that Haryana, being the home state of Arvind Kejriwal, presents a strong opportunity for AAP and suggested the party must contest all the 90 assembly seats.

“BJP in Haryana is on its deathbed, Congress is facing massive in-fights, and AAP should contest on all 90 seats on its own strength to give the first non-BJP, non-Congress honest government in Haryana,” he added.

His remarks came a day after AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said that alliance talks with the Congress in Haryana are ongoing and a decision is expected within a couple of days.