It's very sound politics to back a rival: Congress on AAP

Political observers say Congress gesture more political than magnanimous

Routed by the debutant Aam Aadmi Party AAP in the Assembly elections, the Congress’ gesture of extending a helping hand (support) to AAP to form a government, had surprised many. AAP bagged 28 seats and Congress had the required eight seats needed for a majority in the 70 member Assembly.

However, newly appointed Delhi state Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely today rapped the AAP, urging it to “mind their language” as AAP leaders continued to bad mouth the Congress party. Political observers say that the Congress gesture is more political than magnanimous, with the grand old party’s only intention being to “expose the AAP.”

A senior Congress leader who is part of the deliberations confessed, “We the Congress have politically no leverage with our poor performance. Nevertheless, we can ensure that we expose the AAP’s tall claims. They defeated us on the basis of tall promises of free water and halving the electricity bills. Let them form the government and prove it, if they can.” Adding, “They (AAP) said the Congress government was corrupt. Let them try and sit in government. We are in no hurry. By 2014 May itself they could stand exposed.”

Officially however the Congress maintains that they have extended support in good faith.

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed speaking to Business Standard said, “We have written to the Lt. Governor and said that we will be extending support to AAP and we still stand by that. It is now for AAP to make public its stand on December 23.” AAP had asked for a period of ten days to elicit views from the public on whether they should at all go for government formation.

Another Congress insider observed, “Its very ‘sound politics” to offer support to the rival AAP which bagged a whopping 28 seats. They came into the limelight by badmouthing us, they will now have to prove themselves”. What the Congress aims to do is to get back the massive chunk of their core votes that shifted to AAP.

In post poll analysis Congress has assessed that a massive 75% of their votes among the middle class, JJ clusters and even government employees had shifted to the AAP. That has hurt the Congress badly.

Moreover, in 46 out of the 70 Assembly seats, Congress has found that its candidates have figured in the third position. So in a desperate bid to regain lost ground, the Congress has played a tough gamble which it hopes will pay off.