The efforts to finalize a seat-sharing arrangement between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress ahead of Haryana’s upcoming assembly polls are gaining momentum. However, despite ongoing discussions, a conclusive agreement has yet to be reached.
On Saturday, Raghav Chadha, an AAP Member of Parliament, expressed optimism after meeting Congress’s Haryana in-charge, Deepak Babaria, and Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy. Chadha mentioned that the party is hopeful of securing an electoral pact before the polls, stating that both parties aim to work together to oust the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the state. However, Babaria indicated that Congress has only offered a “small but good number” of seats to AAP, suggesting that negotiations remain fluid.
The talks come after weeks of back-and-forth between the two parties. Both AAP and Congress are keen on joining forces to create a formidable opposition to the BJP, which has been in power in Haryana since 2014. A senior Congress leader, however, cautioned that the party is reluctant to cede a substantial number of seats to AAP, which has a relatively limited presence in Haryana compared to its strength in Delhi and Punjab.
Chadha emphasized that AAP is looking for a deal that reflects its growing popularity in the state and argued that AAP’s cadre and voter base have strengthened over time. Nevertheless, the deadlock persists as both sides weigh the costs and benefits of an alliance.
