Ajay Maken denies reports of likely Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi ahead of 2019 LS polls

As the political ardour is gaining pace for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, another Congress-triggered alliance is in the making to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the country.

Speculations had been rife that the Aam Aadmi Party and the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress are trying to forge an alliance in Delhi, mirroring the recent Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka.

Congress leader Ajay Maken, however, on Saturday rubbished the rumours of AAP-Congress alliance in the national capital ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress’ Ajay Maken denies report of talks between AAP-Congress alliance ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. pic.twitter.com/5QyGocJ99c

— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

As per the earlier reports, an informal talk regarding the AAP-Congress alliance was already started between both the parties on May 24. Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken were also present during the meeting. The Aam Aadmy Party approached the Congress for the alliance, with an offer of 5:2 ratio for seat sharing in Delhi, according to a source, who wished to remain anonymous.

The Congress, however, demanded three out of the seven seats for party leaders Sharmishtha Mukherjee, Ajay Maken and Rajkumar Chauhan. The party has demanded New Delhi, Chandi Chowk and North West Delhi in condition to forge an alliance with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP.

The speculations got another booster after Kejriwal on Thursday took to Twitter to praise former prime minister Manmohan Singh. "People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh," the Delhi CM tweeted.

People missing an educated PM like Dr Manmohan Singh

Its dawning on people now -“PM तो पढ़ा लिखा ही होना चाहिए।” https://t.co/BQTVtMbTO2

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 31, 2018

On a related note, Kejriwal had always been a strong critic of Singh and in 2013 the AAP leader accused the former prime minister and his government of not taking proper steps to check corruption in the country.

Also Read | Byelections debacle - a wake-up call for BJP

However, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is yet to announce an official confirmation regarding the alliance.

Earlier on Friday, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP appointed Lok Sabha in-charges in five of the seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. The appointees include Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chadha, who were recently removed from the posts of advisors to ministers followed by a recommendation from the Union Home Ministry.