Fresh stir in Opposition camp after Congress leaders 'all 7 seats in Delhi' remark, AAP takes strong note

Soon after the statement was made, the Aam Aadmi Party, a member of the newly formed opposition bloc INDIA, questioned the need for the alliance if all parties decided to go solo.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP Rahul Gandhi held a four-hour meeting with their senior colleagues in Delhi earlier in the evening, where they broadly discussed strategies for the big fight in 2024.

After the meeting, Congress leader Alka Lamba said they have been asked to prepare to contest in all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.

"We have been told how to prepare for the 2024 election. Before the Delhi meeting, the leadership has met our people in 18 states. It has been decided all Congress leaders will immediately go to work on the seven seats in Delhi to win them," Lamba told news agency ANI.

"Seven months are left. All party workers have been asked to prepare for all seven seats," she said.

Soon, Deepak Babaria, the Congress's in-charge of Delhi, stepped in to clarify after the AAP expressed "surprise".

Babaria said the comment was the leader's (Ms Lamba's) opinion and no plan for seat-sharing was discussed in the meeting.

"We did not discuss that issue in today's meeting. The discussion was about how to strengthen the party in Delhi," he said.

AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are also scheduled to visit Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to campaign for their party on August 19 and 20.

Before Babaria's clarification, the AAP appeared to have taken a view on the matter that could have implications for the INDIA alliance.

"The Congress leader's statement is very surprising. After such statements, what is the justification for the INDIA alliance? Arvind Kejriwal ji should decide on what to do next, which is important in the interest of the country. A decision should be taken," AAP leader Vinay Mishra told NDTV.

According to reports, the Congress has kept the door open for alliances, though there is much speculation over a possible tie-up between the Congress and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP.

"The meeting lasted for four hours; 40 leaders attended and gave their opinion. The talks focused on strengthening the Congress in Delhi," Alka Lamba said.