AAP and Congress Forge Alliance with 4:3 Seat-sharing Formula for Delhi and Other States

In a strategic move to strengthen the opposition ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress have agreed on a 4:3 seat-sharing formula for Delhi and other states. The alliance aims to challenge the dominance of the BJP, particularly in Delhi where the ruling party won all seven seats in the 2019 elections.

As per the agreement, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP will contest four out of the seven seats in Delhi, namely West Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, and New Delhi. The remaining three constituencies – North East Delhi, North West Delhi, and Chandni Chowk – will be contested by the Congress.

The seat-sharing announcement comes after weeks of negotiations and was unveiled during a joint press conference of the AAP and the Congress. The move follows the recent success of the opposition’s INDIA bloc in the Chandigarh mayoral poll, marking their first electoral win.

In addition to Delhi, the alliance has extended to Gujarat, Haryana, Goa, and Chandigarh. In Gujarat, AAP will contest from Bharuch and Bhavnagar, while the Congress will field candidates in both Goa seats and the sole constituency in Chandigarh. The AAP had earlier declared a candidate for South Goa, which will now be withdrawn to accommodate the alliance.

However, seat-sharing remains a complex challenge for the INDIA bloc, with regional parties seeking a larger share of seats following the Congress’s electoral setbacks in key states. The Congress has already formed an alliance with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party for 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh. However, deadlock persists in Maharashtra, where Congress and the Shiv Sena are yet to finalize the allocation of eight seats.

In West Bengal, another battleground, the Congress faces challenges as Trinamool Congress asserts its intention to contest all 42 seats. Sources indicate a reluctance from Trinamool to offer more than two seats to the Congress, which has been pushing for at least five in the eastern state.

The INDIA bloc, formed last year to counter the BJP, has faced setbacks with the departure of key members, including Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtra Lok Dal, both aligning with the BJP. The evolving political landscape continues to shape alliances and strategies ahead of the crucial elections.