In a fiery exchange of words, Congress leader Alka Lamba on Saturday lambasted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of betrayal and demanding his exit from the INDIA alliance. Lamba claimed that the Congress made a grave error by allying with AAP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and accused Kejriwal of insulting former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Speaking to ANI, Lamba said, "You insulted Sheila Dikshit and Manmohan Singh. Now, you say Manmohan Singh was the most honest Prime Minister? Apologize to Dr. Singh's wife. You begged Congress for an alliance. We made a huge mistake by allying with you and supporting you on seven seats during the Lok Sabha elections."
Lamba further challenged Kejriwal to leave the INDIA bloc, accusing him of aiding the BJP by handing over all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. “If Kejriwal has the courage, let him announce his exit from the INDIA alliance. Congress stands firm with 100 MPs, unlike Kejriwal, who handed Delhi to the BJP,” she asserted.
The controversy erupted after AAP released a controversial poster labeling several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and others, as "dishonest." The poster, circulated on social media, portrayed AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal as the only "honest" politician, intensifying the rift between Congress and AAP despite their alliance under the INDIA bloc.
Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, hit back at AAP, alleging it is a "B Team" of the BJP. Ramesh accused Kejriwal of deceit and claimed that the Anna Hazare movement, which brought Kejriwal into prominence, was inspired by the RSS. "AAP and BJP are two sides of the same coin. AAP's collusion with BJP is evident. The Sheila Dikshit government brought development to Delhi, while Kejriwal’s government has only made false promises," Ramesh added.
The rift comes just weeks before the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5, with vote counting on February 8. A total of 699 candidates are contesting for 70 assembly seats, and the escalating feud within the INDIA bloc could impact voter sentiments.
