Haryana Assembly Polls: Congress, AAP explore alliance options

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Congress is exploring the possibility of an alliance with AAP in poll-bound Haryana.

The INDIA bloc partners had stated earlier that their electoral understanding was restricted to the Lok Sabha polls, when Congress contested nine out of 10 seats in the state and AAP one. However, there has been a growing realisation that if the two parties were to fight the assembly elections separately it could mean fragmentation of anti-BJP votes.

According to people privy to talks, AAP has sought 10 out of 90 assembly seats but Congress is willing to part with seven. Two rounds of talks have taken place between AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, they said, adding another round of talks will take place soon.

The matter was discussed in detail at Congress' central election committee meeting on Haryana. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought the opinion of state leaders on a possible alliance with AAP, said people in the know. Haryana Congress strongman and former CM Bhupinder Hooda, however, has always been opposed to an alliance with AAP.

Emerging from the CEC meeting on Tuesday, AICC general secretary in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria, said, «We are in talks with AAP, but nothing has been finalised yet. As soon as something is finalised, we will inform you.»