NEW DELHI: Unending discussions and meetings over a possible alliance for nearly a month came to naught as the Congress and the AAP on Wednesday indicated that talks on a coalition ended due to disagreement over a pre-poll pact in Punjab, Haryana, and Goa.
Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit said she had heard about the development but can't confirm it. "I am yet to know myself. I suppose that the high command will make an announcement on this. Had it been from our (local unit) side, we would have said something. I also believe that the AAP has already spoken about alliance, which makes things clear," she said.
Another senior Delhi Congress leader also confirmed that talks pertaining to coalition had ended as the AAP wanted a tie-up in three other states, including Delhi. "The AAP was expecting too much. Besides seats in Goa and Punjab, they were pushing us to join hands with Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana and asking us to spare three seats there. Delhi leadership was not happy with three seats being left for us. We are strong on three seats - east Delhi, northeast Delhi, and west Delhi but the AAP was not ready to spare east and northeast Delhi for Congress," he said.
Confirming that the AAP was seeking a seat sharing pact in Punjab, Haryana, and Goa its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said electoral pact for Delhi alone is not possible. "In Punjab, we have four MPs and 20 MLAs. The Congress has one seat in Haryana. We had got about 1.5 Lakh votes in Chandigarh last time. In Goa, AAP's vote share was 6%. And the Congress does not want to spare seats in these states. In Delhi, they don't have one MP or MLA and want three seats. Under these conditions, there can't be alliance with Congress," Singh said.
Upset with 'rigid' stand of Congress, the AAP MP, who was mediating for alliance, said the Congress is contesting in states where opposition is strong, which points to an understanding with the BJP. "Instead of strengthening itself in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the Congress is working to benefit BJP."
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel met Dikshit at her residence to discuss next course of action if the party goes to contest alone in Delhi, said a senior Congress functionary.
He added that Dikshit's meeting with Patel a day before the Congress Election Committee meeting assumes significance as the panel is set to pick names to be fielded as party candidates on Thursday. "The election committee is meeting in which the leaders are likely to finalise candidates for seven seats in Delhi. The Central leadership has rejected all seven names sent earlier by the Delhi Congress. It is clear directions from party president Rahulji that all front line leaders should contest elections in Delhi."
Dikshit also said the CEC would take a decision on candidatures for Delhi's seven seats on Thursday. "It will be the first meeting of the election committee. We have made the list of seven candidates. It is up to the committee to decide," said Dikshit, who had been opposing any poll alliance with AAP in Delhi.
Despite Wednesday's turn of events, a former Delhi Congress office-bearer said there is still a possibility of both parties coming together for the elections. "Rahulji will return from Rae Bareli Thursday evening. Then only, the final decision will be taken in the election committee meet."