With the Congress facing a setback in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP on Sunday claimed the spot of the “largest Opposition party”.
Ahead of the expected Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) meeting on Wednesday, senior AAP leader Jasmine Shah tweeted, “After today’s results, Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the largest opposition party in north India with 2 state governments – Punjab and Delhi.”
After today’s results, @AamAadmiParty emerges as the largest opposition party in north India with 2 state governments – Punjab and Delhi.
— Jasmine Shah (@Jasmine441) December 3, 2023
The Congress, which was in power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, is set to lose to the BJP in both states, and heading for a rout in Madhya Pradesh. In North India, its lone state government is now in Himachal Pradesh. It is also in power in Karnataka and is an alliance partner in Bihar. It is set to win in Telangana.
According to senior AAP leaders, the Assembly election results will change the power dynamics within the alliance.
“Everyone was waiting for the Assembly results to determine their positioning. There was a strong buzz of Congress winning Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and we would have given them an upper hand. After the results today, that position is expected to change,” said an AAP leader.
“If the alliance survives and proceeds, the Congress will have to make compromises in the number of seats that it contests in 2024,” he added.
The AAP, which was pushing for an alliance with the Congress in the city and in Haryana ahead of the 2019 elections but could not agree on the seat-sharing matrix, is expected to seek at least five out of seven seats in Delhi in the upcoming polls after Sunday’s results.
“Had the Congress won the two states, it would have sought 4-5 seats. Now that situation is expected to be reversed. The AAP, however, with its senior leaders in jail over the alleged liquor policy scam, is not in a very powerful position either,” said a party insider.
