The party was in talks with the Congress for a possible alliance in the state.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Virtually signalling the end of negotiations with the Congress for an alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday released its first list of 20 candidates that includes nominees for 12 seats where the potential partner has already announced candidates.
AAP list
AAP list
The announcement of candidates came amid both parties sticking to their positions during intense negotiations. The last date of nomination is on September 12 and AAP signalled its exasperation with senior leaders saying that time has run out for any further movement.
Even as Haryana Congress was not keen on an electoral arrangement with AAP, it was at the insistence of top leader Rahul Gandhi's insistence that the negotiations started. AAP demanded ten out of 90 seats but the Congress was unwilling to part with more than five seats.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters that those involved in negotiations would speak about the future of the alliance.
Interestingly, none of the AAP leaders have attacked the Congress for the stalemate with a section arguing that pro-alliance leaders are waiting for Rahul to return from the United States in a couple of days to ignite fire into the otherwise dead negotiations.
While Congress announced candidates for 41 seats, including nine announced on Sunday night, AAP's Haryana president Sushil Gupta told reporters, "I want to say it very clearly that we have been preparing for all the 90 seats since day one. There is not much time left for the polls, the last date for filing nominations is September 12. So the wait is over."
Top AAP leader Manish Sisodia said AAP is ready to contest elections in Haryana. "Our only aim is to defeat the BJP. Talks were going on with Congress for an alliance but that could not happen. Despite that, AAP workers are full of energy as they work on the ground to defeat the BJP," he said.
Senior AAP MP Sanjay Singh said there is "very little time left" and their priority is to remove the BJP from power. "We do not have sufficient time. We are now engaged in finalising the candidates' names for the remaining seats," he added.