In the crucial Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman elections, BJP has tried to appear as the large-hearted party and tried to show its unity with the NDA allies by nominating Janata Dal (United) MP Harivansh Narayan Singh as the candidate for the Rajya Sabha post. NDA grabbed the post of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman from the Congress-led UPA after 40 years.
The Congress party in order to win the elections of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman needed the support of all the anti-BJP and non-NDA parties but the Congress failed to gather that support. AAP abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman election. AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh tweeted, “It is not possible to support the candidate of JD(U), which is in alliance with BJP at the centre.” The AAP leader further added that since Congress doesn’t want a vote for its party, there is no other option left with AAP than to abstain from voting.
@NitishKumar जी ने @ArvindKejriwal जी से फ़ोन पर बात करके अपने प्रत्याशी के लिये समर्थन माँगा,भाजपा समर्थित JDU प्रत्याशी को वोट देना सम्भव नही, @RahulGandhi जी को अपनी पार्टी के लिये वोट नही चाहिये तो AAP के पास बहिष्कार के सिवा कोई रास्ता नही।
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) August 8, 2018
Before the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman election, AAP had said that it may not vote for opposition nominee BK Hariprasad,unless Rahul Gandhi asks Arvind Kejriwal for support. “If Rahul Gandhi can hug Narendra Modi, why cannot he ask Arvind Kejriwal for support to his party’s candidate”, Singh said.
AAP leader maintained the “neither with Congress nor with BJP” attitude but their tilt towards Congress was visible since it came to power in Delhi for the first time. Arvind Kejriwal, riding on his new found publicity, jumped in the fray for the Delhi assembly elections of 2013. The election was fought by Arvind Kejriwal against the Congress government in Delhi led by Sheila Dikshit. When BJP refused to form the government in Delhi following a hung assembly, it was Kejriwal who despite swearing on the lives of his children against it, joined forces with the Congress to form a government in Delhi.
It’s quite funny to see that a party which came to power by leading an anti-corruption campaign against the Congress is now raising hue and cry at being ignored by the same party. One reason behind Congress’ refusal to take the support of AAP could be AAP’s weak strength and their habit of backstabbing their supporters and partners.
Earlier also, there were reports indicating that AAP wanted to align with Congress ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As per a report, Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, addressing party workers in Khanna (Ludhiana), said that the party might decide to join hands with the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He also added that while the Congress had failed in Punjab, it might be necessary to join hands with Congress and other parties to stop Narendra Modi and the BJP from winning in 2019. This statement made by a prominent member of the party perhaps reveals the true colors of AAP.
There were also reports indicating that AAP wants to enter into alliance with the Congress in Delhi. There is no doubt that AAP’s popularity is deteriorating in Delhi. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is well aware of this and reportedly this is why he approached the Congress with an offer to form a grand pre-poll alliance against the BJP in Delhi. The AAP offered three of the seven Lok Sabha seats to the Congress party for the upcoming 2019 General elections. Recently, Arvind Kejriwal praised former PM Manmohan Singh, he said, “People missing an ‘educated prime minister’ like Manmohan Singh”. But then the offer seems to have not gone well with the Delhi Congress, whose chief Ajay Maken declined it by saying, “When the people of Delhi are continuously rejecting the Kejriwal government, why should we come to their rescue”.
You may now apologise to @KapilSibal, @PawanKhera & @SheilaDikshit or rope in @PChidambaram_IN or praise Dr ManmohanSingh
But you are the one-along with team Anna and backed by BJP, had spread lies and canard against the Congress leaders & brought Modi to power
Where is Lokpal pic.twitter.com/iTH0U81IrZ
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) May 31, 2018
On “so called” offer of AAP to Congress for 3 seats,look at my reply to Kejriwal!
When the people of Delhi are continuously rejecting Kejriwal Govt, why should we come to their rescue?
After all, Kejriwal with team Anna supported by RSS, helped in creating this monster of Modi! pic.twitter.com/D8IwcqF0t9
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) June 1, 2018
It means there will be no Mahagathbandhan in Delhi which will be a serious trouble for Kejriwal. It looks like no one is willing to make Kejriwal part of any alliance because he is not a reliable person and in political circle no one considers him worthy enough.