Cong virtually ruled out alliance with AAP: Kejriwal

new delhi — A day after meeting Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Congress had “almost” said ‘no’ for an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the national capital.

Asked about the possibilities of an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections, Kejriwal said: “They (Congress) have almost said ‘no’ for an alliance.”

Asked if he was desperate for a tie-up with the Congress, Kejriwal said throughout the country there should be only one candidate against the BJP in every constituency as a third candidate would eat into antiBJP votes, benefitting the ruling party.

“I believe that the country is facing a challenge and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (BJP President Amit) Shah must be removed. For that it is very important that against the BJP, only one candidate is put up so that the anti-BJP votes are not distributed. All should understand this,” he said.

“So, if in Delhi two candidates fight against the BJP, the BJP will get the benefit. In UP, if a third candidate is fighting apart from the SP and BSP, it will benefit the BJP. All parties should understand this.”

Moving forward on a united anti-BJP front for the Lok Sabha elections, top opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday agreed to work together to prepare a common minimum programme to oust the Modi government and to consider forging a pre-poll alliance.

The meeting, hosted by NCP president Sharad Pawar at his residence here, also saw Congress chief Gandhi and Kejriwal coming together for the first time.

Speculation has persisted about a possible electoral alliance between the Congress and the AAP in Delhi. —

It is very important that against the BJP, only one candidate is put up so that the anti-BJP votes are not distributed. All should understand this

Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi CM