Congress to go solo in Gujarat bypolls, rules out alliance with AAP
PTC News Desk: Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil on Friday announced that the party will contest the Gujarat bypolls independently and ruled out any alliance with Aam Aadmi Party. Gohil said that the party will contest bye-elections to the Visavadar and Kadi Assembly seats independently, without partnering with its INDIA bloc ally.
He further clarified that the decision was taken unanimously after contemplating past electoral trends in the state.
"To defeat the BJP, the main opposition party is Congress... We urge the AAP to withdraw their candidates (for the upcoming Visavadar and Kadi by-elections)... The Congress party will fight elections in both seats," he said.
However, Gohil stressed that both parties would continue to remain part of the INDIA bloc at the national level. "On a national level, we are all part of the INDIA alliance, and we are one," he said.
The Visavadar seat in Junagadh district has remained vacant since December 2023 after AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the BJP. Meanwhile, the Kadi seat in Mehsana, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki on February 4.
The Election Commission is yet to announce the dates for the bypolls.
- With inputs from agencies
