Congress to ‘expose’ AAP as B team of Akali-BJP alliance

Sunday, 10/04/2016

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/politics/congress-to-expose-aap-as-b-team-of-akali-bjp-alliance/220236.html

Rahul chairs strategy meeting of leaders from Punjab

New Delhi : The Congress is all set to ‘expose’ Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the B team of the Akali-BJP government in poll-bound Punjab.

This strategy was worked out after a key meeting on the political situation in the state, chaired by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

The meeting, held at Rahul’s residence today, was attended by Congress general secretary (Punjab affairs) Shakeel Ahmad, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh, state Congress Campaign Committee chief Ambika Soni, Congress Legislature Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi and party’s poll strategist for the state Prashant Kishor.

Speaking to The Tribune after the meeting, Ahmad said, “We are very clear about the status of AAP in Punjab. Voting for AAP would benefit the Akali-BJP government. The party is working to help the Akali-BJP combine and people will see through their designs.”

A source said Rahul was convinced that AAP was a front for the Akalis and BJP. He has told his cadres to expose the party’s real face.

Ahmad further said: “AAP is at the number three spot in the state. Past election results have shown that AAP is cutting into the anti-incumbency vote to the detriment of the Congress and the benefit of Akalis and BJP. That is what happened in the Patiala assembly byelection. We won and though the AAP candidate lost his security deposit, he bagged some anti-Akali votes which would have otherwise come to us. In the Talwandi Sabo bypoll, Akalis won and we were second, while AAP again lost its deposit. There they ate into anti-BJP and anti-Akali votes which could have come our way.”Discussions today appear to have concluded that AAP can play spoilsport for the Congress in Punjab and the party must articulate its anti-Arvind Kejriwal strategy much in advance to tell people that every vote for AAP would benefit the Akali-BJP government.

Asked if Kishor had inputs at today’s meeting since he had travelled in the state with Amarinder, Ahmad said the former was only advising the PPCC chief. “Kishor has been drafted to sharpen Congress’ political messaging and planning the strategy to counter opponents. He will work on slogans and communication. He will have no role in organisational matters,” Ahmad said.

Meanwhile, the party is yet to finalise the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) list. The list is due since December last year when Amarinder replaced Partap Singh Bajwa as the state unit chief.