Delhi Cong leaves decision on alliance with AAP up to Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Mar 25: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday chaired a crucial meeting of senior party leaders, including Sheila Dixit to discuss alliance with Arvind Kejriwal's AAP.

The Congress leadership seems divided over forging an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). While one faction wants an alliance to defeat the BJP in Delhi, the other is vehemently against it.

The opinion on the issue remained divided and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take a final call on it in the larger interest of the party, said a participant of the meeting.

Four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, PTI quoted sources as saying.

Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit has repeatedly voiced her opinion against the alliance, however, she has also said that the final decision will be taken by the party leadership.

Both the parties have however, continued to send to feelers to each other as leaders of both have time and again come out to say talks are on for an alliance.

As the Congress ruled out the possibility for any alliance, Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed a "secret understanding" between the BJP and the Congress.

"At a time when the whole country wants to defeat (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-Shah duo, the Congress is helping the BJP by splitting the anti-BJP vote. Rumours are that the Congress has some secret understanding with the BJP," Kejriwal tweeted. "Delhi is ready to fight against the Congress-BJP alliance. People will defeat this unholy alliance," he added.

AAP has announced candidates for all 7 Lok Sabha seats. The AAP has been insisting on a 5:2 seat distribution (five for AAP and two for Congress), but the Congress has stuck to its demand for a 3:3:1 seat sharing arrangement (three for AAP, three for Congress and one for an independent).

Earlier it was reported that NCP chief Sharad Pawar is mediating between the two arch-rivals to agree on an alliance in order to defeat the BJP.