INDI Tussle: AAP Warns Congress, Seeks Action Against Ajay Maken

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the Congress of joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) to harm its chances in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. AAP leaders said Congress leaders were acting against the spirit of the INDIA alliance, which aims to unite opposition parties against the BJP.  

At a press conference, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi criticized Congress leader Ajay Maken for calling Arvind Kejriwal 'anti-national' and ‘mistake’ They alleged that the Congress is working on a ‘BJP agenda’ to target the AAP instead of opposing the ruling party.  

"We supported Congress in past elections, but Ajay Maken has crossed all limits by making false statements against Arvind Kejriwal. Despite Kejriwal campaigning for Congress in the past, the Congress filed an FIR against him. They never dared to do the same against BJP leaders," Singh said at a press conference.  

Atishi added that Congress candidates like Sandeep Dixit and Farhad Suri seem to be cooperating with the BJP in Delhi. "It’s clear that the Congress is trying to weaken AAP and damage the INDIA alliance's unity. Their actions raise serious questions about their commitment to the alliance," she said.

AAP has demanded disciplinary action against Maken and other Congress leaders within 24 hours, failing which it has threatened to push for Congress's expulsion from the INDIA bloc. "We will approach other parties in the alliance and ask them to remove Congress," Singh added.  

Maken Calls Alliance with AAP ‘Mistake’

Delhi Congress on Wednesday released a 12-point ‘white paper’ targeting the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over their alleged unkept promises and mismanagement on various issues like pollution, civic facilities and law and order.

Addressing a press conference, AICC treasurer Ajay Maken lashed out at AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, saying his party came to power riding on the Janlokpal agitation but has failed to set up the anti-corruption ombudsman.

"If there is one word to describe former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal here then it would be Farziwal," he said while releasing the white paper titled "Mauka Mauka, Har Baar Dhoka".

"If anyone is the king of fraud in the entire country then it is Kejriwal and that is why we have come here with a white paper on the Kejriwal government and also on the BJP government at the Centre," Maken said.

Maken also said that forming an alliance with AAP was a ‘mistake’ that should be rectified, and went on to add that it was his personal opinion.

"I feel that today the plight of Delhi and that the Congress got weakened here is only because of the fact that we supported AAP for 40 days in 2013.

"Today, this is one of the biggest reasons for the plight of Delhi. And I believe that perhaps a mistake has been made again in Delhi by making the alliance, which needs to be rectified," he said.

The Delhi Assembly elections are set to take place in February, and the growing friction between AAP and Congress has added to the political drama ahead of the polls. 

(With PTI Inputs)