Non alliance news between AAP and Congress outraged party candidates

The Delhi Congress Monday hit out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over his statement against its president Sheila Dikshit, saying the Delhi chief minister may not have the respect and honour she has earned in his entire life. The sharp reaction came from Rajesh Lilothia, working president of Delhi Congress, following Kejriwal's statement referring to Dikshit as "not an important leader".

The Delhi Chief Minister earlier told reporters in Visakhapatnam that Congress President Rahul Gandhi has refused to forge an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the national capital. Asked about Congress' Delhi unit president Sheila Dikshit's remarks that Kejriwal never approached her for an alliance, the chief minister said, "We have met Rahul Gandhi. Dikshit is not that an important leader."

The bitterness between the two parties refused to die down even as there are speculations that the two sides may have an alliance for Lok Sabha polls. "Dikshit is popular because of her personality not only in Delhi but in the entire country. Kejriwal may not have the respect and honour she has earned in his entire life," Lilothia said an in a statement.

Dikshit's former cabinet colleague and party spokesperson Ramakant Goswami hit out at AAP for opposing policies and principles of Congress despite "pleading" with it for the alliance. The three-time former Delhi Chief Minister who was appointed the president of Delhi unit of Congress has so far effectively checked attempts of an alliance of her party with AAP, although a final word on it is yet to come from Rahul Gandhi.

Delhi Congress spokesperson alleged that Kejriwal was involved in "weakening" the Congress in the past with the support of the RSS and BJP. The AAP fielded candidates to cut into votes of Congress in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh who lost their deposits, he added.