LS polls 2019: Rift widens between Maken and Dikshit over alliance with AAP in Delhi

New Delhi [India], Mar 5 (ANI): Rift widens between Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief Sheila Dikshit and Congress leader Ajay Maken over forging an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for the coming Lok Sabha elections, sources said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Sheila Dikshit ruled out any possibility of forging an alliance with the AAP for the coming elections after a meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
“A unanimous decision has been taken in the meeting that there will be no alliance in Delhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi was also present. It is final,” Dikshit told ANI.
She said the Congress would contest all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Congress chief Rahul at his house where Dikshit and Maken were also present.
According to top sources, Maken and Delhi’s in-charge PC Chacko said in the meeting: “In view of the current political situation, there should be an alliance with the AAP.”
“However, other leaders including Dikshit opposed the alliance stating that the Congress is capable of competing against BJP and winning on its own,” sources said.
“The majority opinion was against the formation of a coalition with AAP, following which Rahul decided not to have any tie-up with the AAP,” they said.
“After Rahul’s nod, Sheila made a formal announcement of not joining hands with the AAP,” sources told ANI.
Questioning Dikshit for going against allying with AAP, Maken asked Dikshit if her son Sandeep Dikshit will contest the elections or not. Surprisingly Sheila hesitated to reply and gave no clear answer.
“Expressing his discontent over the non-alliance, Maken said if Sandeep Dikshit does not fight, then why should other leaders fight the elections? He himself doesn’t want to contest the elections,” said sources while quoting Maken.
Sandeep Dikshit is the son of Sheila Dikshit and has been an MP from East Delhi seat.
It is believed that Sandeep is planning to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal as the Congress is not on a stronger footing in Delhi.
For now, everyone is waiting for the Congress to announce its candidates for Delhi Lok Sabha seats.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said: “There should be only one candidate against every BJP candidate. Votes must not be divided. I am tired of trying to convince Congress to form an alliance. If our alliance with the Congress is done, BJP will lose all seven seats in Delhi.”
Last week, AAP announced its candidates for six out of seven Lok Sabha seats in the city-state. It has fielded Brajesh Goyal from New Delhi, Atishi from East Delhi, Dilip K Pandey from North East Delhi, Raghav Chadha from South Delhi, Pankaj Gupta from Chandani Chowk, and Gugan Singh from North West Delhi. AAP has not yet announced the candidate for West Delhi Lok Sabha seat. (ANI)