Amid speculation of AAP alliance, Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit meets Rahul Gandhi

Amid rising speculations of an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019, Delhi Congress chief and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit met party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. The meeting, which last for around 20 minutes was also attended by AICC in-charge of Delhi PC Chacko. 

Dikshit, who has been opposing an alliance with the AAP, had said on Sunday that the decision on tie-up for Lok Sabha polls will be declared in a few days. The decision from Rahul Gandhi on an alliance is expected "anytime" now, sources said.

The Delhi unit of the party has been divided over an alliance with the AAP. Four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely -- favoured an alliance with Kejriwal's party. On the other hand, Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance. 

Amid the dilly-dallying over forging an alliance, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had also intervened, asking both the parties to join hands to unitedly defeat the BJP.

Soon after the meeting on Monday, Arvind Kejriwal had declared that the Congress had rejected an alliance and he was "fed up of trying to convince the party".

The AAP has been seeking an alliance with the Congress in Delhi saying that a division of votes will help the BJP in all seven constituencies in the city. The BJP had won all Lok Sabh seats in Delhi in 2014 parliamentary polls.

The Lok Sabha elections on the seven seats in Delhi will be held on May 12. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.