The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has officially announced its support for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. Party MP and veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha is set to campaign in Purvanchal-dominated areas of the national capital starting January 31. This decision highlights growing solidarity among non-BJP parties within the INDIA bloc, despite some fissures in electoral strategy.
AAP has also received backing from other INDIA bloc allies, including the Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction). SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal are scheduled to conduct a joint roadshow in the Rithala constituency on January 30, signaling a united front for the Delhi polls. SP MP Iqra Hasan will also join the campaign efforts, aiming to bolster AAP’s chances in key constituencies.
Will TMC’s Take Create Tension In INDIA Bloc?
Despite these developments, the INDIA bloc faces internal challenges as the Congress, another key member of the coalition, is contesting the Delhi assembly elections separately. The division of support within the alliance underscores the complexities of balancing regional and national interests. Notably, Congress has struggled to regain its footing in Delhi, failing to win a single seat in the last two assembly elections, while AAP dominated the 2020 polls, securing 62 out of 70 seats.
TMC’s decision to send Shatrughan Sinha to campaign for AAP is particularly noteworthy, given his previous association with the Congress. In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had played a key role in bringing Sinha into the Congress fold, fielding him as a candidate from Patna Sahib. Sinha’s current alignment with AAP could be seen as a blow to the Congress, which has been trying to rebuild its presence in Delhi.
The Delhi assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, with votes counted on February 8. As the campaign heats up, AAP looks to consolidate its position with support from regional heavyweights, while the BJP and Congress aim to make significant inroads in the capital.
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