Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The Congress on Wednesday distanced itself from party spokesperson Alka Lamba's statement that the grand old party will contest elections on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi next year.
Congress leaders from Delhi held a meeting today with the party's top leadership to review its preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections and discussed ways and means to strengthen the organisation.
Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, who were present at the meeting, asked the party leaders to remain united and connected with people, sources said.
After the meeting, Lamba said they have been given orders to contest on all seven (Lok Sabha) seats in Delhi.
Speaking on Alka Lamba's statement, Congress leader Anil Bhardwaj said, "Alka Lamba is not authorised to speak on this matter. In today's meeting of Delhi leaders with party central leadership, there was no discussion over I.N.D.I.A alliance."
Congress' statement could be seen as damage-control as soon after Lamba's statement, the Aam Aadmi Party said that if the former has decided to contest the elections on all seats in Delhi then there was no point in attending the Opposition's I.N.D.I.A. block meeting.
Reacting on Alka Lamba's Delhi poll remark, AAP leader Vinay Mishra said, "There will no point of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance if Congress continues to give statements like this. Congress needs to make its stand clear."
"Everyone should realise that we should keep our ambitions aside and think about the country and Constitution," said another AAP leader Somnath Bharti.
"Since Congress is not willing to make any alliance in Delhi for (2024 Lok Sabha) polls, I guess then there is no point in being part of that I.N.D.I.A. alliance which is meant to save democracy and Constitution," said AAP leader Dilip Pandey.
"If Congress has already decided to not form an alliance with us, then it is of no use for us to attend the next I.N.D.I.A. alliance meeting. Our top leadership will decide whether or not we'll attend the next meeting,” echoed AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar.
Earlier today, Alka Lamba made a statement saying that the Congress is planning to contest elections on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi.
“The meeting lasted for four hours and was attended by 40 leaders who put forth their opinion. The talks focused on strengthening the Congress in Delhi,” Alka Lamba said on the meeting convened by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and leader Rahul Gandhi.
However, responding to AAP after comments by its leaders on I.N.D.I.A. alliance over Alka Lamba's statement, AICC Delhi in-charge Deepak Babaria said, "I feel that there are immature people in Aam Aadmi Party. If they want to take such a big decision on the basis of media reports then even God cannot save them.
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