Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Kejriwal asks Cong to tie-up with AAP, JJP

- Press Trust of India letters@hindustant­imes.com

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday appealed to the Congress to join the proposed alliance between his party and JJP but his offer was snubbed by his Haryana-ally, which said it can “never have any truck” with the Congress.

Kejriwal earlier on Wednesday told reporters that an alliance between AAP, Congress and Jannayak Janata Party would defeat the BJP in the state. “Let’s come together in Haryana to defeat the BJP,” Kejriwal said.

However, within minutes after Kejriwal’s comments, the JJP issued a strong-worded statement, saying it can “never have any truck” with the Congress.

“The JJP has been formed on the ideology of late Choudhary Devi Lal who has always fought against Congress so JJP will never enter into any alliance with the Congress and will not be part of any alliance which includes Congress,” JJP’S national general secretary KC Bangar said. The JJP can enter into an alliance with only like-minded parties whereas the ideology of Congress does not match with its views, he said. However, Bangar said the party is strengthen­ing its organisati­on in all 10 Lok Sabha and 90 assembly seats. “It is capable of fighting elections in all these seats,” he said.

On Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi ruled out any alliance with AAP in Delhi and asked his party workers in the capital to win all seven Lok Sabha seats following which Kejriwal said his party would win all seven parliament­ary seats in Delhi “on its own”.

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