Setting aside their ongoing differences, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convened a closed-door meeting on Monday to engage in discussions concerning the seat-sharing formula for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, primarily focusing on states like Delhi and Punjab.
Key Congress figures, including Mukul Wasnik and Ashok Gehlot, along with representatives from the seat-sharing committee, participated in the meeting. The AAP was represented by Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, along with Delhi Cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj.
While details of the meeting were not disclosed to the media by the attending leaders, insider information shared with India Today suggests that AAP has proposed offering three Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in Delhi. This gesture is accompanied by an expectation of generous reciprocation from the Congress, particularly in states like Gujarat, Haryana, and Goa.
It is reported that AAP has requested 1 Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, 3 in Haryana, and 1 in Goa, prompting the two parties within the INDIA bloc to convene again for further discussions to finalize the arrangement.
Additionally, the AAP, which governs Punjab, has shown a willingness to allocate 6 seats to the Congress in the border state.
However, it's important to note that Congress leaders in Punjab have strongly opposed the idea of forming an alliance with the AAP in the Lok Sabha polls. Leading Congress figures in the border state have consistently emphasized the party's reluctance at all levels to join forces with the AAP.
As a potential step toward better collaboration, there was a suggestion to establish an office in Delhi where leaders from the INDIA bloc could convene and hold discussions.
After the meeting, Mukul Wasnik stated to reporters that Congress and AAP would contest the elections together with thorough preparation and aim to defeat the BJP. He emphasized the need to wait for some time before revealing the details of the discussions, asserting that Congress and AAP are crucial components of the INDIA alliance.
