AAP Abstains From Voting From Rajya Sabha Dy Chair’s Poll : There Is No Question Of Electoral Alliance Or Understanding With Congress : Says AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman election on Thursday blaming Congress’ attitude to its decision. AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the Congress is the biggest obstacle to Opposition unity.AAP has three Members; all elected from Delhi .in the Upper House of Parliament. Congress Party’s candidate BK Hariprasad from Karnataka was defeated by NDA’s candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh from Bihar. Harivansh Narayan Singh has won the election after polling 125 votes while Hariprasad managed to secure 105 seats, far below the number the party had hoped for. The AAP has three MPs in the Upper House. On Wednesday, a member of the party’s Political Affairs Committee told The Indian Express that he could not “confirm or deny” whether Congress president Rahul Gandhi has spoken to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal regarding the election.“There may be further developments. At this point, I cannot confirm or deny whether the Congress president has made the call,” the PAC member said. However, Kejriwal spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who sought his support for the NDA candidate. It is learnt that the Delhi Chief Minister informed Nitish that it would not be possible for the party members to vote for NDA candidate Harivansh Singh. Nitish Kumar  had cordial  relations  with his Delhi counterpart before  walking into the NDA camp.AAP is for maintain  equidistance  from BJP and Congress .In Delhi and Punjab, AAP’s main political opponents  are BJP and Congess.AAP believes that the BJP is consciously trying to position the 2019 Lok Sabha election as a Rahul Gandhi-versus-Narendra Modi affair for its own convenience.AAP leader and chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the projection of Rahul Gandhi will only harm the Opposition.“Projecting Rahul as PM candidate is a conscious effort of the BJP to position this contest as Rahul-versus-Modi as it suits them,” Bhardwaj told IANS.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said, was choosing its opponent according to its convenience.“If they choose Mayawati or Mamata, there is a problem. Rahul was a minister or a Chief Minister and hence,  lacks  administrative  experience ,”he  said.  Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal   and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are political allies. Whenever she comes to Delhi, she makes it a point to meet Kejriwal.  BJP is creating a perception among  the  people  projecting Modi  as  a much stronger and  experienced  candidate  than  Rahul Gandhi as prime  ministerial candidate. Congress is also happy as Rahul Gandhi is under the limelight, he added.  The 2019 Lok Sabha poll will be between AAP and BJP in Delhi. Congress will not get a single seat. Their vote percentage may go up, but they will not win seats. Bhardwaj also said that the AAP was not part of any opposition alliance. There is no question of alliance or understanding with the Congress, he said.