“Polling booth ke andar jaake jhaadu na dhoondhna, INDIA gathbandhan hai, jhaadu nishaan nahi hoga toh haath ka nishan dabana (While voting, do not look for the broom; we are fighting elections together, so make sure that you choose the hand button),” was the rare message of solidarity given by leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress as they gathered at Shakur Basti earlier this week and met voters.
These rallies, adorned with banners portraying Congress and AAP veterans, have two purposes: to “convince” voters and to “educate” party members on the need to vote for their alliance partners in accordance with the seat-sharing agreement.
In Delhi, the AAP and Congress have reached an agreement, with seats divided four-three.
According to sources, these joint sessions would be held in all assembly constituencies with the goal of ensuring clarity among both parties’ followers. “Currently, the Congress is talking about their own developments and the AAP is talking about theirs,” a source close to the Congress said. “To prevent confusion among voters, meetings are planned in each constituency to underscore the importance of supporting alliance candidates.”
Three of these sessions are scheduled for Thursday alone in the Ballimaran assembly constituency. In addition, workers will soon distribute brochures door-to-door to persuade followers of both parties to vote for alliance candidates. “Many voters who do not keep in touch with politics might be unaware of the seat-sharing arrangement, this will educate them on how to support the alliance,” a source told Reuters.
The first such meeting, held Monday at Shakur Basti’s Rani Bagh, saw AAP and Congress officials praising one other. “During the Anna andolan, we had no intention of entering politics. Manmohan Singh Ji was the Prime Minister and Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister, and we were not afraid to criticise the leadership. There have been several occasions when we contacted Dikshit and spoke with her. “She had always been willing to listen,” said Dr. Arun Gupta, the AAP’s Shakur Basti incharge. “This alliance will go beyond June 5, we will hopefully continue working together,” he went on to say.
J P Agarwal, the INDIA bloc’s Chandni Chowk seat candidate competing against BJP’s Praveen Khandelwal, spoke on a platform adorned with both parties’ banners. He compared the collaboration to the Sangam of Ganga and Jamuna in Allahabad.Both rivers are distinct hues, but when they converge in Allahabad, they become one. “This is how the INDIA alliance is.”
Agarwal stated that, given the current situation, the only way to fight their mutual adversary, the Modi-led BJP administration, is to assist their coalition allies. “Fighting elections together might not be the ideal scenario, but this is the only way that is left if we have to fight against hate,” he stated. Party workers replied by shouting chants such as “Tanashahi Murdabad” and “India gathbandhan zindabad.”
“What the BJP has done so far is only the tip of the iceberg; if they win more than 400 seats this time, they will undoubtedly change Baba Saheb’s Constitution,” Dr. Gupta stated, urging on AAP workers to vote for the Congress emblem.
