Just three weeks before the crucial mayoral elections in Chandigarh, the opposition alliance between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Indian National Congress is on the verge of a complete breakdown. A provocative social media post by a senior AAP leader has triggered a fierce public spat, casting serious doubt on the unity of the opposition and leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a commanding position.
A Social Media Bombshell
The political storm erupted after AAP's Chandigarh in-charge and Delhi MLA, Jarnail Singh, took to social media platform X to accuse the Congress of having a "secret pact" with the BJP. In a fiery post that tagged top leaders including AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and Congress's Rahul Gandhi, Singh questioned the Congress's past conduct and hinted at an "internal alliance" between the two national parties.
Sharing a photograph of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge shaking hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh wrote, "On the one hand, they pose as staunch rivals; on the other, they share power… In Chandigarh, BJP holding the mayor's post while Congress occupies the positions of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor is clear and strong evidence of an internal BJP-Congress alliance." He further claimed the country has understood this "fake fight and staged drama."
The post specifically referred to the last mayoral elections in January 2025, where the BJP won the mayor's seat and the Congress secured the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor posts. This outcome occurred despite AAP and Congress fighting those elections jointly, with AAP contesting for mayor and Congress for the other two positions.
Rapid Escalation and Political Fallout
Singh's accusation was swiftly amplified by the official Chandigarh AAP handle, which demanded Congress explain its reason for boycotting the mayoral polls in 2022 and 2023, a move that allowed the BJP to win all seats in those consecutive years. "Was there any secret deal... People of Chandigarh want to know," the post questioned.
The Congress in Chandigarh did not hold back in its response. Congress leader H S Lucky hit back by questioning AAP's own record, asking, "What kind of match were you playing when the mayor was from AAP and the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor were from BJP in 2024?" Lucky also stated that Congress is still open to supporting any party that can prevent a BJP victory in the upcoming polls.
Meanwhile, most local AAP councillors remained tight-lipped about Singh's statement, with some expressing surprise. An anonymous AAP councillor suggested it might be a tactical move to pressure Congress, revealing that talks had been held just a day prior regarding seat-sharing for the upcoming election.
BJP Emerges as the Clear Winner
The public feud has dramatically altered the electoral math for the mayoral elections. The BJP, which recently gained strength after two AAP councillors defected to its side, now finds itself in an almost unassailable position. The party has 18 councillors in the 35-member Municipal Corporation House. AAP has 11 and Congress has 6.
Had the AAP-Congress alliance held firm, the contest would have been neck-and-neck, with both the BJP and the opposition alliance commanding 18 votes each (including the vote of the local MP, who is from Congress). However, with the alliance now in tatters, the BJP is firmly in the pole position and its victory appears almost certain.
The alliance, formed just before the 2024 general elections, had previously tasted success, helping Congress candidate Manish Tewari win the parliamentary seat and enabling AAP to secure the mayor's post in 2024 with Congress's support. Its collapse so close to the polls marks a significant setback for the opposition's efforts to present a united front against the BJP in Chandigarh.
