Punjab's ruling Congress will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state on its own and will not go in for an alliance with any party, including the Aam Aadmi Party, sources said.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday conveyed to the Congress high command the party state unit's opinion against going for any political alliance in the state for the forthcoming elections.
Talking to media after a meeting with senior Congress leaders in Delhi on Wednesday, Amarinder said they discussed the party matters, particularly relating to the Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress leaders present in the meeting included Ahmed Patel, A.K. Antony, Jairam Ramesh, Malikarjuna Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Amarinder was accompanied Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar.
On alliance in Punjab, Amarinder said both he and the Punjab Congress president had told the Congress central leadership that the they would go on their own and win all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
"As far as a national alliance is concerned, it was up to the party high command to decide," Amarinder said, making it clear that the Congress in Punjab did not need any alliance.
There were reports that the Congress could go in for an alliance with the AAP and other parties at the national level for the 2019 general elections to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
However, the Punjab Congress, which sees AAP as an opponent, is not inclined to go in for an alliance in Punjab.
The Chief Minister said he had taken the views of his cabinet colleagues after the cabinet meeting earlier on Wednesday on the issue of alliance and all were unanimous that no tie-ups were needed and the party would win the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab.
--IANS
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