Tue Jan 28 06:23:11 UTC 2025: **Samajwadi Party to Campaign for AAP in Delhi Assembly Polls, Highlighting Opposition Rift**
NEW DELHI, January 28, 2025 – The Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav, will actively campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5th. This surprising move underscores growing fissures within the INDIA opposition bloc.
Yadav and several SP MPs will participate in rallies and roadshows alongside AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, starting with a joint roadshow in Rithala on January 30th. This collaboration, however, excludes the Congress party, despite both the AAP and SP being members of the INDIA alliance. The AAP and Congress contested against each other in the Delhi Lok Sabha elections last year.
The decision highlights the strained relationship between the Congress and other INDIA bloc members. Past tensions within the alliance, including disagreements over leadership, particularly concerning Mamata Banerjee’s potential role, further complicate the situation. While Kejriwal avoided directly endorsing Banerjee, he suggested the issue could be addressed through internal discussions.
The support from the SP, alongside that of Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha, who will also campaign for AAP, indicates a significant shift in the opposition dynamic ahead of the crucial Delhi elections. The AAP is directly challenging both the Congress and the BJP in the state.
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