Mon Feb 10 10:35:12 UTC 2025: ## Congress Defends Role in Delhi Election Loss, Blames AAP for INDIA Bloc Rift

**New Delhi, February 10, 2025** – Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore has pushed back against criticism from INDIA bloc partners over the Congress’s performance in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. He attributed the BJP’s victory to the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) decision to contest the elections independently, effectively fracturing the opposition alliance.

Tagore stated that blaming the Congress for the outcome is misplaced, emphasizing AAP supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s December 1st announcement of AAP’s solo electoral strategy. He argued that this decision undermined the INDIA bloc’s efforts in Delhi, and that criticism should be directed towards AAP.

The INDIA bloc, formed ahead of the 2024 general elections, has been largely inactive since the Lok Sabha results last June. This inactivity has prompted calls for the bloc’s formal dissolution, including from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

While acknowledging the bloc’s lack of coordinated activity outside of parliamentary cooperation, Tagore insisted that the INDIA bloc achieved its primary goal of uniting anti-BJP forces during the general elections. He highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s articulation of a shared INDIA bloc vision in the Lok Sabha as evidence of continued collaboration.

Tagore further explained that the INDIA bloc’s electoral strategies varied from state to state, citing examples of differing alliances between constituent parties in Delhi, Punjab, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

Responding to criticism from some allies regarding Congress’s perceived arrogance, Tagore called for unity within the bloc and stated that such public disagreements are damaging. He emphasized the Congress’s commitment to maintaining a humble and respectful stance, even amidst these criticisms.

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