Seat-sharing talks with AAP positive, says Congress

NEW DELHI, JAN 9: The first formal seat-sharing talks among INDIA bloc parties kicked off on a positive note on Monday with the Congress and AAP deciding to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together in Delhi and Punjab.

Both parties termed the first round of talks ‘positive and fruitful’, and said they will meet again to finalise the pact. Sources said Monday’s meet was focused more on the nitty-gritties of the alliance in various states and the seat-sharing formula is likely to be decided in subsequent meetings.

The meeting was attended by Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, and the party’s National Alliance Committee (NAC) members Mukul Wasnik and Ashok Gehlot. The AAP delegation included Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi Marlena and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Wasnik said deliberations were held on seat-sharing as well as other aspects of the upcoming elections, and they will come up with the final formula soon. “We had a very good meeting. Senior AAP leaders were sent for discussions with us on behalf of Arvind Kejriwal. The NAC formed by the Congress president held discussions with AAP leaders and a final decision will be taken later,” said Wasnik. AAP leader Bhardwaj said: “We are absolutely positive that seats of INDIA bloc will be finalised soon”.

-PTI