Ahead of Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 2025, a political rift has emerged within the INDIA alliance, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) considering talks with other alliance partners to possibly ‘urge’ them to exclude the Congress party. This comes after a series of allegations and derogatory remarks between the two parties that have taken the tension to new heights.
AAP has intensified its efforts to distance itself from Congress, urging its INDIA alliance partners to reconsider their stance on including the Congress party in the coalition. The AAP leadership is actively seeking support from other parties to remove Congress from the alliance, citing the alleged fraud charges against Kejriwal and the growing tensions between the two parties.
Congress leader calls Arvind Kejriwal ‘Farziwal.’
The conflict escalated after Congress leaders, including former union minister Ajay Maken, filed a complaint against AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing them of fraudulent schemes to collect voter data. Maken made a pointed remark during an interview, calling Kejriwal “Farziwal,” a derogatory term aimed at questioning the authenticity of his political actions.
Maken also raised concerns about Congress’s past decision to support AAP, suggesting that it had led to the party’s downfall in Delhi. “The Congress’ decision to back AAP in 2013 was a huge mistake. It resulted in a significant loss for our party in Delhi,” Maken stated, expressing frustration over the alliance’s consequences.
Congress has filed an FIR against Kejriwal, accusing him of fraud and forgery over the voter data allegations. The FIR, filed in response to complaints from Congress leaders, further complicates the relationship between the two parties. AAP, however, has strongly denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.
“The allegations are baseless, and this is nothing more than a political vendetta against our leadership,” an AAP spokesperson said. “We are committed to working within the INDIA alliance, but we cannot ignore the repeated attacks from Congress, which are undermining the spirit of unity.”
The situation is expected to intensify further, with AAP planning to address the issue in a press conference scheduled for 1 PM. During the conference, AAP leaders are expected to outline their position on Congress’s actions and discuss the future of their alliance with the party. Sources say the leadership will urge the other INDIA partners to reconsider their support for Congress amid the rising tensions.
