NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday ruled out any alliance with the AAP for assembly polls in Haryana and Delhi. “There is no INDIA ‘janbandhan’ in Punjab. In Haryana, we had given one seat to the AAP in the Lok Sabha polls, but I don’t think that INDIA ‘janbandhan’ will be there for the assembly polls.
“The AAP itself has said that the alliance will not be there for Delhi assembly polls,” said AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh.
Ramesh, however, said that the opposition INDIA bloc will fight elections together in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
The assembly elections in Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra are scheduled for later this year. The assembly elections in Delhi will be held early next year. “There does not appear to be much scope (for alliance) in Delhi and Haryana,” said Ramesh.
Last month, AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai also ruled out any alliance with the Congress in assembly elections. He said that the alliance was only for the Lok Sabha elections and that the AAP will go solo in the assembly polls. The Congress and the AAP had fought the Lok Sabha polls together in Delhi, while they contested separately in Punjab.
Ramesh further said that there is no “one formula” the INDIA bloc will follow for state elections. “The grouping will fight together in states where Congress leaders and other alliance partners agree to such an understanding,” he said.
“In the context of West Bengal also, I had said the INDIA bloc is for Lok Sabha polls but in states where the circumstances are such that our state leaders and leaders of our allies want, the alliance will remain. In Maharashtra, the alliance will be there with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SCP). In Jharkhand, we have an alliance with JMM,” he said.