Lok Sabha Elections 2019: No Tie Up with Congress in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Says AAP

New Delhi, January 18 The Aam Aadmi Party, which has been giving mixed signals on the chances of an alliance with the Congress, on Friday finally ruled out any such possibility in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, saying the Congress is not thinking for the nation.

Speaking to the media, AAP leader Gopal Rai said the party at one stage was ready to compromise with the Congress as there was a demand that anti-BJP parties should join hands to save the nation. Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Will Contest All 80 Seats in Uttar Pradesh, if BJP Fails to Keep Promise, Says OP Rajbhar.

"We were ready to drink poison (compromise with the Congress). But now, we have decided that AAP will contest on all seats in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana with its full strength and will not have any alliance with the Congress," Rai said.

He admitted that the AAP, just like several other parties, had started considering, despite dissent inside the party, that they will compromise with the Congress for the sake of the nation.

"Several like-minded parties were coming together and even though not being in favour of Congress, they have decided to join hands. We, too, were ready to think about joining hands to save the nation from the dictatorship of (Narendra) Modi-(Amit) Shah," he said.

"But the way Punjab CM Amarinder Singh issued statement that the AAP does not have any value in Punjab and the way (Congress Delhi Chief) Sheila Dikhsit said that the AAP is a small party unlike Congress which is a national party and they will not have any sort of compromise with us."

"It is clear that for them, thier ego is more important than the nation," Rai said, adding that the AAP has always disagreed with the policies of the Congress.

"Against the corruption of the Congress, the AAP has been always vocal and removed completely the 15-year rule of Dikshit in Delhi."

He also said the kind of language "they are using against us (AAP) showed that they are only thinking about themselves and not the nation".

The AAP leader also attacked the BJP and said the dictatorship of the saffron party forced them to think about compromising with the Congress.

"The way the Modi-Shah duo has created a dictatorial attitude throughout the country and the way they have stopped the elected government of Delhi from working, a feeling was created that all the anti-BJP parties should join hands."

"We will not only defeat the BJP in Delhi, but will also make a government at the Centre with the other like minded parties in country."

Earlier in January, the AAP had announced it will finalise its candidates by mid-February.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 18, 2019 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).