INDIA bloc only for Lok Sabha, AAP to contest Bihar alone: Sanjay Singh
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New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday confirmed that the party will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections independently, marking a clear break from the INDIA bloc — the opposition alliance formed for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Singh, who is also AAP’s in-charge for Bihar, clarified that the party’s association with the INDIA bloc was limited solely to the general elections and that AAP’s strategy going forward reflects its autonomous approach in state-level politics.
“The INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha elections. We fought alone in the Haryana elections, Delhi elections, and the Gujarat and Punjab bypolls. We will now also fight alone in the Bihar elections,” he said.
The announcement comes amid speculation that AAP has distanced itself from the opposition alliance following its disappointing performance in the general elections. In Delhi, where AAP had partnered with Congress under the INDIA bloc, the coalition failed to secure a single seat, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept all seven constituencies for the third consecutive time.
Following the loss, AAP criticised Congress, blaming it for failing to project itself as a credible opposition force. The rift widened when AAP declined to attend the INDIA bloc meeting on July 19, signalling a formal exit. “The party no longer remains a part of the alliance,” Singh reiterated.
When asked whether other INDIA bloc members may also reconsider their association due to dissatisfaction with Congress’ leadership, Singh said, “As far as the Aam Aadmi Party is concerned, whether on the streets or in the Assembly, we have played and will continue to play a strong opposition role. I cannot comment on what other parties might do. I can only speak for my party.”
His statement echoes the sentiments expressed earlier by AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who, after AAP’s bypoll win in Gujarat’s Visavadar, had accused Congress of indirectly aiding the BJP by cutting into AAP’s votes. “The INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha polls. Now, there is no alliance from our side,” Kejriwal had said.
Singh also outlined the issues AAP will raise during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, including the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, the demolition of slum settlements in Delhi, and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar.
With IANS inputs
