Haryana Assembly Polls: AAP's Amar Singh Joins Congress Amid Setbacks for Party

Amar Singh, previously the AAP candidate for the Nilokheri reserved seat, switched allegiance to Congress just before the Haryana Assembly elections on Saturday. Singh expressed that Congress is the only party capable of defeating the BJP, which he accused of being unfair to farmers, women, Dalits, and minorities. His joining was confirmed in a statement by Congress, with Pratap Singh Bajwa, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, welcoming him.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), part of the INDIA bloc, is contesting the Haryana elections independently. This decision followed unsuccessful alliance talks with Congress last month. Singh's departure marks another setback for AAP in Haryana, following Pravesh Mehta's switch to BJP on September 28. Mehta joined BJP in Faridabad alongside Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar and senior leader Vipul Goel.

Political Dynamics in Haryana

Bajwa highlighted Singh's unconditional support for Congress candidate Dharampal Gondar from Nilokheri. He noted Singh's popularity within Nilokheri's Sikh community. Singh stated that Haryana faces a direct contest between Congress and BJP, with Nilokheri reflecting this scenario. He emphasised that his primary aim is to oust the BJP government due to its perceived injustices.

Singh explained that continuing his candidacy would have inadvertently aided BJP by splitting votes. To prevent this, he chose to join Congress. His move underscores the intense political rivalry in Haryana as parties vie for dominance in the upcoming elections.