Will Campaign Jointly With Congress In Delhi For Lok Sabha Polls: AAP

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold joint campaigns in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and meetings to chalk out a plan for the same will follow soon, Sandeep Pathak, Rajya Sabha MP of the party ruling the national capital, said.

In an interview with PTI, Pathak, who is also AAP's national general secretary (organisation), said the seat-sharing arrangement for the polls was mutually decided by the parties after which AAP's political affairs committee (PAC) came to a conclusion.

"We will definitely have (joint) campaigns. We will hold meetings and a plan will be made," Pathak said.

"We have discussed with them (Congress) at length about the candidates and then the PAC came to a decision," he added.

The AAP and the Congress have arrived at a 4:3 seat-sharing arrangement for Delhi.

The AAP has fielded MLA Somnath Bharti, who is also the Delhi Jal Board vice-chairman, from the New Delhi constituency; Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar from East Delhi; Sahiram Pehelwan from South Delhi and former MP Mahabal Mishra from the West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.

The Congress is yet to announce its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi.

The AAP-Congress alliance will begin its election campaigning in Delhi and Haryana in the next one week and the announcement for Punjab will be made in the next few days, Pathak said.

Asked how the seats were decided, Pathak said "We just wanted the alliance for the betterment of the country. The whole country and all sectors are vitiated. So our party wanted to give an atmosphere where there is freedom." On the selection of candidates, Pathak said.

"The candidates were selected on the criteria of their winnability. When it comes to INDIA alliance seat-sharing, our INDIA was clear we don't want to be stuck up here and there for a seat or two." This alliance was a must for India. And so there was no obstacle at any point of time, he said.

"Due credit to Congress as well, as they were also very cordial. Once the seats were decided, then the candidates were selected on the criteria of their public perception and winnability," Pathak said.

The parties will have different strategies and pace for starting the poll campaigns in different states.

"In Bharuch and Bhavnagar, the campaigns have already started. In the next one week, you will see campaigns starting in Delhi at a large level, as well as in Haryana," he said.

"For Punjab, we will announce in the next few days," he added.

Speaking about the strengths of AAP and areas where it needs to improve, Pathak said once elected to power in the central government, the party will be able to better serve the people without interference from the ruling party.

He said the party aims to add "intellectual, young and honest" people in the team to raise important issues which are public-centric.

On the topic of Ram mandir, Pathak said by providing good education, hospitals and honest government, the state government has been able to implement the idea of Ram Rajya in the true sense.

"For us, Ram is not a matter of votes. Those who are doing politics over this, the people will only decide and answer." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)