Delhi: Congress' Sandeep Dikshit clarifies alliance with AAP was "never in question", slams Kejriwal's leadership

New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI): Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit clarified that the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was "never in question", responding to discussions about the possibility of an alliance.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Dikshit stated, "The alliance was never in question. The AAP kept launching the idea because they feared losing if they fought alone. But it is good that the alliance did not happen."
He went on to slam Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's leadership over the past decade, claiming it has led to the breakdown of the city's systems. "In the last 10 years, he (Arvind Kejriwal) has brought Delhi to a place where all the system has collapsed. These 10 years of failure will make him lose," Dikshit said.
Dikshit also explained Congress's strategy, aiming to attract voters who are disappointed with Kejriwal's governance. "Our strategy is to attract those voters who are disappointed by him... Our past has been a golden period and we will associate with the upcoming promises, the disappointed voters will come to us on their own..."
Earlier this week, the INDIA bloc alliance for Delhi, formed for the 2024 general elections, appeared to be short-lived as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday ruled out any possibility of an alliance with Congress.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said, "Aam Aadmi Party will be fighting this election on its own strength in Delhi. There is no possibility of any alliance with Congress." This statement came after reports suggested that Congress and AAP were in the final stages of talks for a Delhi election alliance.
Earlier, on December 7, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devendra Yadav had criticized AAP and its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for being responsible for the "deteriorating" law and order situation in the national capital. Devendra Yadav also demanded that Kejriwal ask for the resignation of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, just as he had asked for the resignation of former CM Sheila Dixit during the Nirbhaya case. The Delhi Congress president further alleged that women were facing the brunt of increasing crimes, including gang wars, firing, murder, rape, harassment, and snatching incidents.
Congress, which was in power in Delhi for 15 successive years, has performed poorly in the past two assembly polls, failing to win any seats. The Assembly polls in Delhi are expected to be held in early 2025. AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections, while BJP secured eight seats. (ANI)