Delhi Polls: Congress debating on best strategic option for the elections

NEW DELHI: With BJP and AAP locked in a neck and neck battle in Delhi, Congress is debating what could be its best strategic option: Whether to try to avert further erosion of its traditional base to AAP or, tactically lend support to it in most seats, as AAP is fighting Congress’ national rival.

For the record, AICC and Delhi PCC leaders have left no stone unturned to attack AAP and BJP. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi too have not spared either parties in their campaign. However, within Congress corridors, the leaders have no confusion on reading the writing on the wall that the party is being elbowed out of the Delhi political field, following a fierce BJP-AAP war.

The informal target of the Delhi Congress is to hold on to the 2013 poll figure of eight and, if possible, make it 10 plus, as this could still give the party a role in government formation.

At the same time, there is also feeling that the growing impression of AAP putting up a spirited fight against BJP could prompt many traditional supporters of Congress, especially minorities and the remaining base among the poor, to throw their lot behind AAP this time.

Some senior Congress leaders argue that the party must prioritise its strategy by pouring all its organisational might in about 20 seats where Congress is a force. In the remaining 50 seats, they want the party to informally reinforce AAP’s fight against BJP. This section of the Congress feels that if AAP manages to stop Modi-led BJP’s winning streak in Delhi, it could provide a boost to Congress’ larger national challenge vis-à-vis BJP.