"Alliance will stay intact": Congress leader Salman Khurshid on INDIA bloc
Jan 14, 2025
New Delhi [India], January 14 : As the contest between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi Assembly election has raised questions about the divide within the INDIA bloc, Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said that the alliance will stay intact.
Admitting that there have been "some differences" in the alliance, Khurshid reaffirmed that the alliance is not weak.
"Our leadership will send a message, the alliance will stay intact, when different parties come together, in between some differences happen, so that gives away the feel that alliance is weak but that isn't the case, the alliance is strong and every member realises that this alliance is need of the hour," Khurshid said.
Meanwhile, AAP and Congress are already at loggerheads ahead of the assembly elections, scheduled to be held on February 5.
Earlier in the day, NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar suggested that the INDIA alliance focus remains solely on national-level elections.
Speaking to the media here at a press conference, Sharad Pawar said, "There has never been any discussion on state and local elections in the INDIA alliance. INDIA alliance is only focused on national-level elections."
Pawar also revealed that discussions regarding the upcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra will take place in the next 8-10 days to decide whether to contest jointly or separately.
"In the upcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra, everyone will decide by holding a meeting in 8-10 days whether we will fight together or alone," said the NCP SCP chief.
He further extended his support to Arvind Kejriwal and suggested that his party should assist Kejriwal in the electoral race, signalling potential political collaboration between the two leaders.
"In Delhi assembly elections, my feeling is that we should help Arvind Kejriwal," said Sharad Pawar.
The elections are scheduled to be held on February 5, and the counting of votes scheduled for the Assembly election is scheduled to be on February 8. The last date for filing nominations is January 17, the date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18, and the last date for the withdrawal of candidacy is January 20.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has suffered significant setbacks in the last two assembly elections, failing to win any seats. In contrast, AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections, winning 62 out of 70 seats, while the BJP secured only eight.
