INDIA Bloc Jolted Again, After Mamata, AAP Wants No Alliance With Congress in Punjab

New Delhi: Within hours the unity of the INDIA opposition bloc suffered two major jolts. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to contest all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, shortly after Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee denied having any alliance with the Congress in West Bengal.

Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann said on Wednesday, “The Aam Aadmi Party has shortlisted 40 candidates for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. We are getting a survey done before finalising candidates.”

Mann’s statement followed Mamata’s explosive announcement, “I had no discussions with the Congress. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I gave them (Congress) many proposals… but they rejected them. I am not concerned about what will be done in the (rest of the) country… but we are a secular party and, in Bengal, we alone will defeat BJP.”

The Congress is yet to respond to the statements by the TMC and AAP leaders.

The decision by the TMC and AAP to fight alone in their strongholds jeopardizes the future of the INDIA bloc, which is facing persistent tussle between the Congress and regional forces.