Arvind Kejriwal Rules Out Alliance with Congress for Delhi Assembly Elections

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), reiterated on Thursday that his party will contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections independently, ruling out any possibility of an alliance with the Congress. “AAP will fight this election on its own strength in Delhi. There is no possibility of any alliance with Congress,” Kejriwal posted on X, amidst speculation of seat-sharing discussions with other partners of the Opposition's INDIA bloc.

This is not the first time Kejriwal has dismissed the idea of a coalition in Delhi. Earlier this month, he reaffirmed that AAP has no plans for alliances, as the party focuses on securing a third consecutive term in the capital.

Speculations of Alliance Dismissed

The statement follows reports suggesting that the Congress and AAP were in the final stages of talks regarding a possible alliance for the Delhi elections. However, AAP’s release of its second list of 20 candidates earlier this week indicates the party’s intent to forge ahead independently.

Among the notable changes, AAP has fielded former deputy CM Manish Sisodia from the Jangpura constituency, replacing his previous Patparganj seat. Educator Awadh Ojha has been nominated to contest from Patparganj. The list also reveals a significant overhaul, with 17 sitting MLAs being dropped in favor of new candidates. Notably, three prominent names—Manish Sisodia, Rakhi Birla, and Deepu Chaudhary—have been re-nominated.

Congress’ Decline and Criticism of AAP

Once a dominant force in Delhi politics, the Congress, which ruled the capital for 15 consecutive years, has struggled in recent elections, failing to secure a single seat in the last two assembly polls.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devendra Yadav recently criticized Kejriwal for what he termed the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the city. Yadav accused the AAP government of failing to protect women, citing rising incidents of gang wars, shootings, murders, harassment, and snatching. He also called on Kejriwal to demand the resignation of current Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, drawing parallels to Kejriwal’s previous demand for former CM Sheila Dixit’s resignation during the Nirbhaya case.

Looking Ahead to 2025 Elections

The Delhi Assembly elections, expected in early 2025, will once again pit AAP against its traditional rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the 2020 elections, AAP secured a resounding victory, winning 62 of the 70 seats, while the BJP claimed eight.

With AAP’s continued dominance in Delhi politics and Kejriwal’s firm stance on contesting independently, the stage is set for a high-stakes election that could reshape the political landscape of the national capital.