The Indian National Congress has launched a fresh attack on the Aam Aadmi Party after the exit of Raghav Chadha and six other Rajya Sabha MPs, saying the developments have “exposed” AAP and raised doubts over its role in the Opposition.
‘Mask is off’: Congress
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken said AAP’s “mask is off”, alleging that the party operates as the “B team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He claimed the defections could trigger further exits in states like Punjab and Delhi, where the two parties have been competing for political space.
Attack on governance and strategy
Maken also criticised AAP’s governance in Punjab, calling it a sign of administrative failure. He argued that AAP’s expansion into states such as Gujarat and Goa has hurt Congress electorally, pointing to the party’s poor performance in Gujarat in 2022.
Targeting Arvind Kejriwal, he said AAP has often chosen to contest elections independently despite broader Opposition coordination efforts, undermining attempts at unity against the BJP.
He ruled out any future alliance with AAP, stating that such a possibility is unlikely “in the near future or even later”.
Opposition equations under strain
Congress leaders are now seeking to reposition the party within the Opposition by questioning AAP’s credibility as a partner. While AAP is not formally part of the INDIA bloc, it has extended issue-based support on select occasions.
Within Congress, there is a growing view that this support has helped AAP gain political ground while weakening Congress’ own prospects. The party is now projecting AAP as an unreliable ally ahead of evolving Opposition alignments.
AAP’s growing proximity to leaders like Mamata Banerjee and M K Stalin has added to these concerns, with Congress wary of shifting dynamics before the 2029 general election.
Major setback in Rajya Sabha
The controversy follows the exit of seven AAP MPs from the Rajya Sabha, including Chadha, Harbhajan Singh and Swati Maliwal, who have now joined the BJP. The mass defection has significantly reduced AAP’s strength in the Upper House, leaving leaders like Sanjay Singh among the remaining members.
With the number of defectors exceeding the two-thirds threshold, the provisions of the anti-defection law are unlikely to apply, making the split legally valid while intensifying the political confrontation between Congress and AAP.
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