AAP leader Gopal Rai
Less than a week before the Lok Sabha elections 2019, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said if the Congress party is confident of winning in Punjab without an alliance, it is also capable of winning all the seats in Delhi on its own.
Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai on Monday said his party is capable of winning all the seats in the national capital.
Questioning Congress leader Randeep Surjewala's statement where he said his party was not in talks with the AAP or any other party for an alliance in Haryana and Punjab, Rai asked whether the Congress has forgotten about its loss in the bypolls in Jind.
"I do not understand why Congress is so self obsessed. It appears that it is in a state of maha-confusion," he said.
"If Congress is confident of winning in Punjab without an alliance so even AAP is capable of winning all seats on its own in Delhi," he said.
Rai said AAP took the decision of contesting on 35 seats in different states, keeping in mind that "it can contribute in defeating the BJP".
"You can win in Punjab but what about Haryana. The Congress is ready to lose but not form an alliance in Haryana," he said.
"Even people in Haryana are saying that if JJP-AAP and Congress stand together then BJP cannot win and can lose all 10 seats," he added.
As another pre-condition for firming up an alliance, the AAP has asked the Congress to openly declare its support to full statehood for Delhi.
The AAP has reportedly conveyed to the Congress that it would support the grand old party in Chandigarh if it gets to contest three seats in Haryana -- Faridabad, Gurgaon and Karnal.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi had Saturday discussed the issue with senior party leaders.
Delhi Congress president and former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, All India Congress Committee general Secretary and in-charge of the party's national capital unit P C Chacko and other senior leaders were present at the meeting held at Gandhi's residence.
Meanwhile, the AAP on Monday said it would launch its second phase of campaign in the national capital for the Lok Sabha polls from Wednesday with an aim to reach out to 35 lakh people.
Speaking to the media, AAP leader Gopal Rai said the demand for full statehood will be the centre-stage of the campaign.
Rai said in the first phase, the party focused on public gathering. "In the second phase, party workers will go to people to tell them about the importance of full statehood."
(With inputs from agencies)
