PANAJI
In a major setback for Opposition unity the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday firmly ruled out any alliance with the Congress in Goa, citing the history of defections of its MLAs to the BJP and it is not trustworthy as a senior alliance partner.
AAP's former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Singh, who is in-charge of the party's affairs in Goa, said they are not part of the national INDIA alliance anymore and in Goa there was no question of any alliance with the Congress.
Singh was speaking to the Prudent news channel on its "Head On" programme where she said: "Congress is the senior partner in the INDIA alliance. It is one party in the INDIA alliance which has presence all over the country. But it has never followed the 'dharma' of alliances in States which is taking smaller parties along."
She said soon after INDIA was formed, elections were held in MP where the Bundelkand region adjoins Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav had staked claim for some seats and Congress refused to even come to the discussion table.
"Later in the Haryana election too we had asked to contest 5 seats, four for AAP and one for Akhilesh Yadav's SP. They refused to let go of five of the 90 seats," Singh said questioning the 'Big Brother' role of the Congress in the INDIA Alliance.
In Goa, Atishi cited the history of MLAs defecting to the BJP to claim that people have lost faith in the Congress.
In the 2022 elections, the people of Goa had elected 11 MLAs of the Congress and two MLAs of the AAP. Three years later, Congress is left with three MLAs and AAP still has its two MLAs.
"It's not that they don't desire our MLAs or that they have not got offers. But both our leaders have stayed steadfast and have been doing a great job representing their own constituencies and also raising issues of the people from across Goa," Atishi said.
