Ball in AAP's court: Ahmed Patel on Delhi alliance

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Monday said that it is up to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to decide whether it wants to forge an alliance with his party in the national capital.

"We have earlier said that our state units of Punjab and Haryana are not ready to forge an alliance. In Delhi, Congress president convinced our Delhi unit that the alliance is important. They (AAP) were asking for four seats in Haryana. One for AAP while three for Dushyant Chautala ji's party. In Punjab, they were asking for four seats then later one seat," Patel told reporters here on Monday

"Congress president talked with them but state units were not ready to forge alliance so there is no question on the alliance. We are openly giving 3-3 formula and one seat for a common candidate. Then they said that they will take four. But they put a condition that they will forge alliance only if the alliance takes place for Haryana as well. What is his intention to link Delhi with Haryana? I don't understand," he added.

Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter saying that his party is still willing to give up four seats to the AAP to seal an alliance in the national capital and ensure the "rout" of BJP.

"Rahul ji rightly tweeted. There is no question on our intention, theirs might be questionable. We are ready for alliance in Delhi. We are optimistic. Our proposition still stands, the ball is in their court," Patel said.

Gandhi in his tweet had said the Congress' doors are still open but the "clock was running out".

"An alliance between the Congress and AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this. But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn! Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out," the Congress chief tweeted.

In a prompt response, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal posted in Hindi "What U-turn are you talking about?"

"I am sorry that your tweet gives the impression that the alliance is just a show. Unfortunately, you are helping Modi to share the anti-Modi vote in UP and other states too," Kejriwal wrote on Twitter.