NEW DELHI: Amid the heightened buzz of Congress' alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, AAP leader Raghav Chadha on Friday said that the two parties are engaged in last-minute negotiations 'for the interests of the people of the state', adding that nothing 'conclusive', however, has been reached yet on the pre-poll coalition.
The AAP Rajya Sabha MP, speaking to IANS, said that the two parties are engaged in talks and are also hopeful of a coalition ahead of Assembly elections.
"Talks are going on. For the interest of Haryana, its people as well as the country, we are exploring this coalition. We are hopeful and making all efforts to reach a common ground, " Raghav Chadha told IANS.
When probed further about the delay in the announcement of Congress-AAP poll tie-up, he said that talks are underway and also moving in a 'positive direction'.
"There can't be ball by ball commentary on negotiations. Hope remains alive on likely alliance, " he stated.
The talks of a pre-poll coalition between Congress and AAP gathered steam after LoP Rahul Gandhi expressed desire at the recent Haryana screening committee meeting, to align with like-minded parties to dislodge the BJP from power.
The Congress MP also asked the Haryana state leaders and in-charges to explore an alliance with AAP to rule out division of votes and also to present the INDIA bloc as a united and potent force in the poll-bound state.
Though Congress leaders have refrained from speaking about the likely alliance, AAP was forthcoming in welcoming the 'proposal'.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh welcomed Rahul Gandhi's statement, saying that the INDIA bloc allies must come together to stop the BJP from returning to power. However, he added that any decision to this effect will be taken by AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, based on input from party’s Haryana in-charges.
Notably, Congress and AAP, part of the INDIA bloc contested the recent Lok Sabha polls together and went to upset the BJP's applecart not just nationally but also in Haryana.
In 2024 polls, out of 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, BJP saw its tally reduced to just 5. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it had swept all 10 constituencies in the state.