Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann
On the same day that Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, announced that her party, Trinamool Congress, will go solo in the elections for Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed similar intentions. Mann declared that his party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), will not form an alliance with the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, emphasizing their goal to win all 13 seats.
This statement from Mann coincided with Mamata Banerjee’s announcement that Trinamool Congress will not join forces with the Congress for the parliamentary polls in West Bengal. Despite being part of the 28-party INDIA bloc with Congress, Trinamool Congress, and the CPI(M)-led Left Front, AAP in Punjab is steering clear of an alliance with the Congress.
At present, AAP and Congress are engaged in discussions regarding seat sharing for the general elections in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Goa, and Gujarat. However, Mann clarified that there will be no electoral alliance with the Congress in Punjab. Notably, AAP has entered into an alliance with the Congress for the Chandigarh mayoral poll.
When asked about the alliance, Mann reiterated his belief that Punjab and AAP would stand out, predicting a 13-0 victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He confirmed that discussions have taken place on probable candidates for Punjab’s 13 Lok Sabha seats, with 40 potential names in consideration. Mann emphasized the importance of candidate winnability as a criterion, and surveys will be conducted to finalize the selections. Despite some AAP leaders opposing any collaboration with the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls, Mann’s stance remains firm.
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