LUCKNOW: In a move that could further strain the opposition alliance, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday extended his unconditional support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, calling for another term for Arvind Kejriwal. This endorsement comes at a time when the SP is increasingly charting its own course, having already distanced itself from the INDIA bloc in Maharashtra.
Speaking at a ‘Mahila Adalat’ event at Thyagaraj Stadium organised by AAP in Delhi, Akhilesh praised the party’s governance and its impact on the capital. “I congratulate everyone for the event organized by AAP. The work done by the AAP government is commendable and we believe they should get another chance to serve the people of Delhi,” Yadav said, signaling his party’s preference for AAP over Congress in the upcoming polls.
This declaration is significant as it marks a clear shift in the SP’s stance, positioning the party in favour of AAP despite its historical alliance with Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
The SP and Congress had jointly contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where they dealt a blow to the BJP. However, Akhilesh’s remarks are likely to ruffle feathers within the Congress camp, as the two parties have faced growing tensions in recent months. The fissures within the INDIA alliance, which brings together several opposition parties, have been widening, particularly following the inability of Akhilesh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to reach a seat-sharing agreement in Haryana and Maharashtra—both states where the BJP returned to power with a decisive majority.
The SP’s decision to back AAP over Congress in Delhi is seen as a direct response to what some within the party view as Congress’s dismissive attitude toward its regional allies. A senior SP functionary claimed that Congress has failed to acknowledge the contributions of its partners in the fight against the BJP.
“We fought together against the BJP, yet it is Congress that has been ignoring its allies’ concerns,” the SP leader said. The SP’s discontent with Congress over the party’s attempts to elevate Rahul Gandhi as the face of the opposition bloc has reached a breaking point.
Clear shift in SP’s stand
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav extending his unconditional support to the Aam Aadmi Party for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections clearly marks the shift in the SP’s stance, positioning the party in favour of AAP despite its historical alliance with Congress in Uttar Pradesh. The SP and Congress had jointly contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where they dealt a blow to the BJP. However, Akhilesh’s remarks are likely to ruffle feathers within the Congress camp, as the two parties have faced growing tensions in recent months.