As the Delhi Assembly elections approach, the ruling AAP on Thursday accused the Congress, its Bharat Bloc partner, of helping the BJP and said the saffron party was funding the campaign of Congress candidates.
A senior Congress leader strongly objected Ajay Maken’s comments about Arvind KejriwalThe AAP demanded that the party take action against Maken within 24 hours, warning that it would otherwise consult with other India parties to remove the Congress from the national opposition bloc.
‘Yesterday he (Makan) crossed all limits. He called our leader, Arvind Kejriwal, the most beloved leader of the country, anti-national. Till date neither Ajay Maken nor other Congress leaders have called any BJP leader anti-national. But we are anti-national? What kind of statement is this?… I saw yesterday that an FIR is also being registered against Kejriwal… He is also a campaigner for Congress leaders in Lok Sabha elections in Chandigarh,” AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said at a press conference.
“Congress is standing tall with BJP in Delhi. The party here is doing everything to support the BJP in the upcoming elections. They have a leader here in Delhi, Ajay Maken, who reads scripts prepared by the BJP, follows all the BJP’s instructions and targets the AAP with statements against AAP leaders,” he said.
Maken made the comments at a press conference on Wednesday where the Congress released a “white paper” on the “unfulfilled” promises of both the AAP government and the BJP-led Centre. “Allying with AAP for the Lok Sabha elections was the biggest strategic mistake,” he said.
He reportedly called Kejriwal “anti-national” citing AAP’s stand on issues like Uniform Civil Code, abrogation of Article 370 and Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
AAP sources said Kejriwal was very upset by Maken’s comments.
“During the Haryana elections, we tried to fight together till the end, but they were not ready and went alone. But we never uttered a single word against the Congress… But today, you see them making such statements against us and Arvind Kejriwalji, AAP in the upcoming elections. are doing to harm,” said Sanjay Singh.
The Rajya Sabha MP also attacked the Congress for its assembly election candidates. “Look at their list… They have brought people like Sandeep Dixit and others to harm AAP in Delhi. They have fielded people like Sandeep Dixit from New Delhi against Kejriwal… Now all limits have been crossed. I request Congress to take action against Makan within 24 hours. Or we will talk to other parties of the India Alliance to remove the Congress from the alliance,” he said.
Singh added that if the Congress leadership does not take action against Maken, “it will be clear that AICC is also part of this plan”.
Congress is getting crores of rupees from BJP: Atishi
Chief Minister Atishi asked whether the Congress had called the BJP anti-national. “No, but today you are calling Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal anti-national. You filed an FIR against me and Kejriwal ji… It is clear that Congress is siding with BJP to cut our votes in assembly polls. Because if our votes are cut, who will benefit? BJP…,” she said.
Atishi also accused the BJP of funding the election campaigns of Congress candidates. “BJP is supporting all Congress candidates financially. Sandeep Dixit and Farhad Suri topped the list, pitted against Kejriwal and Sisodia. They are taking crores of funds from BJP… If you think we are anti-national then why did you join us? Why did you take Kejriwal’s help in campaigning for the candidate? It is clear that the Congress leaders in Delhi are helping the BJP to win the upcoming assembly elections. They have made some deals with BJP to win elections and harm AAP,” she said.
Atishi also demanded action against the Youth Congress.
The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party had formed an alliance in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections and contested three and four seats respectively. However, both the parties were defeated by BJP.
Soon after the elections, the Aam Aadmi Party announced no alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections, while the Congress said that despite the alliance, no vote had been transferred in its favour.
Elections for 70 Assembly seats are being held in Delhi in February.
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