Congress to Counter AAP in Delhi But Not to Target Kejriwal on 'Nationalism Issues'

The Congress high command decided to avoid unnecessary friction among the INDIA bloc ahead of the Parliament session and Delhi elections.

New Delhi: The Congress high command has asked the Delhi unit to fight the coming assembly elections against the ruling AAP with full force but has restrained local leaders from going overboard for the sake of the larger INDIA bloc.

According to party insiders, former Delhi unit chief and current AICC Treasurer Ajay Maken had announced that he will expose the anti-national activities of Kejriwal on Jan 5 but he was asked by the high command to hold on as the move could have created unnecessary friction among the INDIA bloc ahead of parliament session and crucial local elections.

“We are holding the charge for now but we will keep questioning the state government’s policies,” said a senior AICC functionary.

However, on Jan 5, AAP leaders joined hands with the Congress and other INDIA bloc allies in slamming BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri who had made derogatory remarks against priyanka Gandhi Vadra, which showed unity among the opposition group.

“The comments have exposed the anti-women face of the saffron party. He has apologized but he should be removed as a candidate. We will not let Bidhuri go away easily. We will file an FIR also,” senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ETV Bharat.

Recently, the AAP had threatened that it would urge the other INDIA bloc parties to expel the Congress after Sheila’s son Sandeep had complained to the Lt Gov over AAP’s promise of Rs 2,100 per month as women’s allowance and enrollment of voters for the same.

The LG ordered a probe based on the complaint which riled the AAP. Sandeep had also complained to the LG that the AAP government in Punjab was spying on him, which too is being probed.

The Congress did not stop at that and deployed Punjab leaders in Delhi who charged that the Mann government had made a similar women’s allowance promise two years ago but had forgotten it later.

The Congress, which had moved to the margins in Delhi since AAP came to power in 2013, has been going for the 2025 assembly elections very aggressively and has been banking on a positive agenda to counter both AAP and BJP.

The Congress’ major plan is to make the voters compare the 15 years of Sheila Dikshit government from 1998-2013 which saw a lot of development and the Kejriwal government till 2024 and flag the difference in terms of increase in civic problems like pollution, drinking water, sewage, garbage removal and transport and health care.

“Civic issues are the main focus for the Delhi voters who have been cheated by both the state and the central governments. Only the Congress can bring back the glory of the national capital,” senior Congress leader Abhishek Dutt told ETV Bharat.

According to party insiders, if the Congress had gone targeting Kejriwal over nationalism issues, there was a risk of explaining the Congress, AAP alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite strong opposition from the Delhi unit.

Interestingly, it was Maken who had acknowledged recently that joining hands with the AAP had been a mistake.

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