NEW DELHI, Dec 1 – Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced on Sunday that his party will contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections independently, dealing a blow to the opposition INDIA bloc’s hopes of a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“AAP will have no alliance for assembly polls in Delhi,” Kejriwal declared at a press conference. The elections, expected early next year, will determine the composition of the 70-member Delhi legislature, where AAP currently holds 62 seats.
This decision underscores a recurring rift within the INDIA bloc, a coalition of 26 opposition parties that had sought to consolidate anti-BJP votes. Despite AAP and Congress jointly contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi earlier this year, the BJP swept all seats.
Kejriwal’s announcement comes against the backdrop of high-profile defections, with several Congress and BJP leaders joining AAP. The party has already released its first list of 11 candidates, including six leaders who switched allegiances.
This is not the first time AAP has distanced itself from the INDIA bloc’s strategy. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kejriwal ruled out an alliance with Congress in Punjab, stating his party would contest all 13 seats independently. A similar seat-sharing deadlock occurred during the Haryana assembly elections.
Crime and Safety Concerns Raised
Kejriwal also addressed a recent incident during a padyatra on Saturday in which an unidentified liquid was thrown at him. While he described the substance as harmless, he criticized the central government over law and order in the city.
“I had hoped Home Minister Amit Shah would take action after I raised this issue. Instead, I was attacked during my padyatra,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP leader also condemned the arrest of party MLA Naresh Balyan, accusing the government of targeting victims rather than criminals. Balyan had reportedly faced threats from gangsters for over a year and had filed multiple complaints with the police.
“The crime he has committed is that he was the victim of gangsters,” Kejriwal alleged.
Kejriwal questioned the safety of citizens in light of these incidents, stating, “If an elected representative and a former chief minister can be attacked, will businessmen and women of Delhi feel safe?”
The BJP has yet to respond to these allegations.
Upcoming Battle
The Delhi elections are expected to pit AAP’s governance record against the BJP’s bid to expand its influence in the city-state. The INDIA bloc, fractured by Kejriwal’s latest stance, may face an uphill battle in consolidating opposition votes in the capital.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
