'Fight should be against BJP,' says Sanjay Raut as AAP, Congress tussle ahead of Delhi assembly polls

Mumabi (Maharashtra) [India], January 7 (ANI): Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday expressed concerns over the intense battle between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, implying that it would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He said that the fight should be against the BJP in the national capital and the country.
"Congress and AAP were fighting the Lok Sabha elections together. However, the situation which has formed in the Vidhan Sabha (assembly) elections, it looks as if they are trying to help the BJP. Our fight should be against the BJP - in Delhi and the country," Raut told ANI.
He further said that the two members of the INDIA bloc "tearing down each other" was not right. He said that the public was witnessing the tussle and would ask questions about such behaviour during the next Lok Sabha elections.
"AAP and Congress, who are the members of the INDIA Alliance, are contesting (the Delhi elections). The dates will be announced but a fight is going on before that. All the contestants are making allegations against each other, tearing each other down. This is not right. The level at which the fight between AAP and Congress is going on, the public is watching it. The people will question us regarding our behaviour when we go for the Lok Sabha elections the next time," Raut said.
The senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader expressed disappointment over Congress labelling former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal as "deshdrohi," saying they stand against BJP when they use such labels against Congress leader and the similar action to label Kejriwal as the same by the Congress was not correct.
"Kejriwal who has served as the Chief Minister of Delhi for 10 years, has been elected by the people. Why do you want to tag him as a 'deshdrohi'? When the BJP uses such labels against Congress leaders, we stand against them. However, Congress using the same label for their ally (AAP) while campaigning is not right. Fighting the elections against each other is fine but there should be dignity and patience because we have to come together sooner or later," Raut said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Alka Lamba on Tuesday said that there was anti-incumbency against the central government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital.
She said that people have witnessed the governance for a decade and they have compared the works done under former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and others who followed. People will vote for Congress this time, Lamba added.
Taking a dig at the BJP, the Congress leader said they don't have any agenda and only know to fight elections in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host a press conference today to announce the schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The press briefing is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM at the Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
In the 2020 assembly elections in Delhi, AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats while the BJP secured merely eight seats. Congress had won zero seats. (ANI)