No alliance with Congress, AAP to contest all 14 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, Chandigarh

New Delhi: In a final signal that there will be no alliance with Congress in Punjab, AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the party will announce candidates for all 13 Lok Sabha seats from the state as well as the lone seat in Chandigarh in next fortnight.

While Punjab was a foregone conclusion with state units of both AAP and Congress not keen on an alliance, the decision on Chandigarh comes as a surprise as only days ago, both parties fought the mayoral elections together. AAP has been demanding the seat for them but the Congress has declined to concede the seat for the ally.

Kejriwal's announcement came during a programme organised for the "doorstep delivery" of ration under the National Food Security Act of the Bhagwan Mann-led government in Punjab's Khanna. Mann had last month announced that AAP will fight the Punjab elections alone.

"Two years back, you gave your blessings. Out of 117 seats, you gave us 92 seats. You created history in Punjab. Today I again seek your blessing with folded hands. There will be Lok Sabha elections after two months. In Punjab there are 13 (Lok Sabha) seats, one is Chandigarh and there will be 14 seats. In the coming 10-15 days, the AAP will announce its candidates on all these 14 seats," Kejriwal said.

He said he requests them to bless AAP like the way they did two years ago and ensure that all 14 candidates win.

He also attacked his I.N.D.I.A ally, "if I ask you today, in 75 years, the Congress ruled for so many years. Tell me one good work the Congress has done. (You) will not remember. If I ask you, Akali Dal ruled for so many years, tell me one good work the Akali Dal has done. You will not remember."

While talks for an alliance in Delhi is progressing, AAP has announced three candidates in Assam.AAP’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is meeting on Tuesday to decide on Lok Sabha candidates for Goa, Gujarat and Haryana, in clear indications that it is unlikely to join hands with Congress in these states.

Congress is not keen on leaving any seat for AAP in Haryana and Goa. In Gujarat, Congress is also not willing to accommodate AAP in Bharuch, which the latter is demanding. Delhi Chief Minister and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal had earlier announced jailed MLA Chaitar Vasava as their nominee.