In a blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, Amar Singh, the party’s candidate from the Nilokheri (reserve) seat, joined the Congress on Wednesday. Singh announced his decision, stating that only the Congress could defeat the BJP government, which he accused of being “unjust to farmers, women, Dalits, and minorities.”
Singh was welcomed into the Congress by Partap Singh Bajwa, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. “He has joined the party unconditionally and has extended full support to Congress candidate Dharampal Gondar,” Bajwa said in a statement, adding that Singh is popular within the Sikh community in Nilokheri.
Singh emphasised that the main objective was to oust the BJP government in Haryana, describing the current political scenario as a direct fight between Congress and BJP. “The BJP government has been unjust to farmers, women, Dalits, and minorities, and only Congress can achieve this. Continuing my candidacy would have benefited the BJP by dividing the vote,” Singh explained.
This is the second blow for AAP in Haryana in recent days, following the defection of Faridabad candidate Pravesh Mehta to the BJP on September 28. Mehta had joined the ruling party in the presence of Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar and Haryana BJP leader Vipul Goel.
The AAP, a member of the INDIA bloc, is contesting the Haryana elections independently after alliance talks with Congress fell through last month. Arvind Kejriwal’s party is contesting all 90 seats. Haryana will go to polls on October 5.
