The unity of INDIA opposition bloc has suffered back-to-back setbacks inside hours, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) declaring that it’s going to contest all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, shortly after Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee dominated out any alliance with Congress in West Bengal.

“The Aam Aadmi Party has shortlisted 40 candidates for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. We are getting a survey done before finalising candidates,” Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated at the moment.

The remarks got here hours after Ms Banerjee’s explosive announcement that there is no such thing as a tie-up with the Congress in Bengal and any resolution on an alliance on the nationwide stage will likely be taken after the election. “I had no discussions with the Congress. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I gave them (Congress) many proposals… but they rejected them. I am not concerned about what will be done in the (rest of the) country… but we are a secular party and, in Bengal, we alone will defeat BJP, she said.”

The Congress is but to answer Mr Mann’s announcement. 

Responding to Ms Banerjee’s outburst, senior Congress chief KC Venugopal stated there will likely be a Congress-Trinamool alliance in Bengal. “There will be an alliance in West Bengal. Our aim is to decrease BJP seats. We Will talk to TMC. Mamata Banerjee is a senior leader in INDIA alliance. These are small differences, will be sort them out.” 

The resolution by Trinamool and AAP to go solo of their strongholds must be seen in opposition to the backdrop of a persistent tussle between the Congress and regional forces inside the INDIA bloc.

While regional events, particularly Trinamool, AAP and Samajwadi Party, have repeatedly demanded the main position of their bastions, the Congress, decided to play the large brother position, has pushed for an even bigger pie throughout seat-sharing talks on the state stage.

In each Bengal and Punjab, assaults and counter-attacks between the Congress and the ruling occasion have continued unabated over the previous few months, regardless of claims of unity at INDIA conferences. Both state Congress items – led by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Bengal and Amarinder Raja Singh Warring in Punjab – have been against an alliance on the state stage and misplaced no alternative in hitting out on the state governments.

The regional events, on their half, are in no temper to cede floor of their strongholds, particularly within the wake of Congress setbacks within the latest Assembly polls.

Even earlier this month, Mr Warring had instructed the media that he was but to obtain any message from the Congress excessive command on an alliance with AAP in Punjab. He had stated that the state Congress unit was making ready to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.

In truth, AAP’s ties with the Congress have been fragile at finest ever since Opposition events got here collectively underneath the INDIA bloc. The Patna assembly of the INDIA bloc in June final yr had become a Congress vs AAP blame recreation. The AAP then needed the Congress to again its combat in opposition to the Centre’s push to manage Delhi officers. The grand outdated occasion had then not but cleared its stand on the Bill, which later cleared the Parliament.

Digging in its heels, AAP had then stated it could not be part of INDIA until Congress cleared the air. This had prompted a pointy response from the Congress, which blamed AAP’s “either-or” strategy. While the Congress had later backed AAP on the problem, however the episode had bared the faultlines inside the Opposition’s alliance.

Another level of competition that will have led to the deadlock over seat-sharing is the truth that AAP is eager on an alliance on a pan-India stage and the Congress is in no temper to just accept this.