Cong vs the rest? Fissures in INDIA bloc play out in public

Fissures in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) over the upcoming Delhi assembly elections came under the public glare on Wednesday as senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), prompting a sharp response from former CM Arvind Kejriwal and two key allies to back the Capital's ruling party.

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI:

In the morning, senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called AAP an "opponent" and accused the INDIA bloc ally of overestimating its electoral prospects.

"They (the AAP) are our opposition. They are harbouring a misconception since they won twice (in Delhi). The situation in Delhi has changed now. Congress is doing a better campaign and this time, the results will be different," Gehlot told ANI.

Hours later, AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Congress of tacitly collaborating with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - the INDIA bloc's primary rival in the 2024 general elections.

"Gehlot ji, you made it clear that the Congress sees the AAP as the opposition in Delhi. You remained silent on the BJP. People also felt that the AAP is the opposition for the Congress and the BJP is its partner. People also believed that the BJP and the Congress are fighting the elections together against the AAP. So far, this cooperation between you two was a secret. Today, you have made it public. Thank you, on behalf of the people of Delhi, for this clarification," Kejriwal posted on X.

Gehlot dismissed the allegation as baseless, asserting that Congress aligning with the BJP was "impossible."