Deciding to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh "with full strength", the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said that the opposition parties' INDIA bloc has been formed to save democracy, but it doesn't mean that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel gets the liberty to have a mining scam in the Congress-ruled state.
The AAP and Congress are part of the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, but both parties have not cleared their stance about a pre-poll alliance in the poll-bound states including Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh AAP incharge Sanjeev Jha took potshots at Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led government saying that the INDIA alliance has been formed to save democracy, but it doesn't mean that Baghel gets the liberty to have a mining scam here.
"I think that the country is going through strange times today. When we speak of the INDIA alliance, why has it been formed? Because now the question is about the Constitution of the country, the constitutional system of the country...INDIA alliance has been formed to save democracy. But it doesn't mean that in Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel gets the liberty to have a mining scam here, sand scam...So, I think this is a fight for the honour of Chhattisgarh and AAP is fighting for the same," Jha said while speaking to ANI.
Earlier on Monday, hours after the dates for the year-end Assembly elections in five states were announced, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that his party will fight with 'full strength' in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
When asked whether his party will contest the elections as part of the INDIA bloc, he said that "whatever happens will be apprised".
The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for assembly polls in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana. Elections will be held in Mizoram on November 7, Chhattisgarh on November 7 and November 17, Madhya Pradesh on November 17, Rajasthan on November 23 and Telangana on November 30.
The counting of votes will take place on December 3 in all the states. With this, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with the announcement of poll dates.
The elections to five states are crucial as they are being held months before the Lok Sabha elections in April-May next year. Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are the key players in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Telangana is expected to witness a triangular contest between the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Congress and BJP.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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