Congress rules out support to AAP

NEW DELHI: Days after its senior leader Sheila Dikshit did not rule out support to AAP, Congress today asserted it will not have any truck with Arvind Kejriwal-led party as it attacked him along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "U-turns" on promises.

"The question does not arise," AICC general secretary Ajay Maken said when referred to comments by Dikshit, former Delhi Chief Minister, last week in which she kept open the option of support to AAP.

"If we had to support AAP, then the need for election (in Delhi) would not have arisen. Congress and AAP could have continued in government," Maken added, referring to the coalition government the two parties ran briefy before Kejriwal resigned on February 14 last year.

The comment came on a day the Election Commission announced election to Delhi Assembly on February 7.

At the AICC media briefing, party spokesperson Randip Surjewala tried to do a tough balancing act when asked about Dikshit's remarks.

Claiming that she had been quoted out of context, he said the Congress will form a government on its own strength.

When insisted on whether the party will support AAP after elections in case no party has clear majority to form a government, he said, "let us wait which party wants to support us even when we have a majority."

Dikshit had told PTI, "We had given outside support to AAP to form a government after the assembly election over a year back. I cannot rule out supporting the AAP if a similar situation arises after the polls."

Congress, which will fight the election citing its 15-year development-based rule, will be targeting the AAP leader with the slogan: "49 Din ki Sarkar; Dilli hui behal, U-turn Kejriwal (Delhi suffered because of 49-day government of Kejriwal)."