Seat-Sharing Dispute Leads to Breakdown of AAP-Congress Alliance Talks in Haryana

In a major political development, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress party have failed to forge an alliance for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. After weeks of negotiations, the talks between the two parties collapsed over the issue of seat-sharing, leading the AAP to release a list of 20 candidates it will field independently. 

The breakdown of the alliance talks comes as a significant setback for the opposition's efforts to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana. The primary sticking point was the number of seats the AAP was demanding from the Congress party. 

The AAP had sought 10 seats, primarily in the districts bordering Punjab and Delhi, where the party holds power. However, the Congress was only willing to concede 5 seats, and it also rejected the AAP's demand for constituencies in the border regions, instead asking the party to focus on urban areas.

With the negotiations failing, the AAP has now released a list of 20 candidates it will field in the upcoming elections, scheduled for a single phase on October 5. This move signifies the party's intention to contest the elections independently, without the backing of the Congress. 

Interestingly, 12 of the 20 seats announced by the AAP are constituencies where the party is making its debut. The list also features 19 new faces, with only one candidate, Pawan Fauji from Uchhana Kalan, being a repeat from the previous election.

The AAP's decision to field a candidate in Kalayat, a stronghold of the Congress's Rajya Sabha member Randeep Surjewala, is particularly noteworthy. Similarly, the party has nominated Narendra Sharma, a former minister, to contest from Punhana, a seat he has lost in the last five consecutive elections. 

The breakdown of the AAP-Congress alliance talks has been attributed to the opposition from former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rajya Sabha member Randeep Surjewala, who were reportedly against any seat-sharing arrangement that would weaken the Congress's prospects.

With the AAP now going it alone, the political landscape in Haryana has become even more intriguing. The coming weeks will see intense campaigning from all parties as they seek the support of the state's electorate in the crucial October 5 elections. The Haryana Story will keep you updated with all the significant .