Rahul Gandhi says doors are still open for AAP, targets Kejriwal for 'another U-turn'

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the party is open to give up four seats to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections, but alleged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal “has done yet another U turn.” He also warned that the doors are still open, “but the clock is running out”.

“An alliance between the Congress & AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this. But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn! Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out,” Gandhi tweeted.

An alliance between the Congress & AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this.

But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn!

Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out. #AbAAPkiBaari

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 15, 2019

Soon, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hit back at the Congress president, asking his Rahul Gandhi's intention.   

"What U-turn? The talks were still going on. Your tweet shows that alliance is not your intention but only a show. It makes me sad that you are only making big statements. Today, saving the nation from the Modi-Shah threat is the most important mission. It is unfortunate that you are splitting the anti-Modi votes in UP and all other states," Kejriwal said in a reply to Rahul Gandhi’s tweet. 

On Friday, the Congress announced that it would fight the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi alone but maintained that it was still willing to form an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, provided the tie-up is restricted only to the national capital.

Congress' in-charge for Delhi PC Chacko said the party would go it alone in Delhi since the AAP has taken an "impractical stand" by demanding seats in Punjab, Haryana, Goa and Chandigarh.

He, however, said, "We are still ready (for alliance) if AAP is willing to have an alliance in Delhi alone. We want to fight the BJP together."

The AAP had on Wednesday rejected the offer of the grand old party for a tie-up in Delhi. All the routes of alliance with the Congress have been closed, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh had said.

The Congress was eager for tie-up with the AAP in Delhi. The AAP, in turn, wanted such an alliance to extend to Haryana and Punjab as well. The talks between the two sides derailed after they failed to reach an agreement over seat-sharing in Delhi and Haryana.

(With PTI inputs)