Why should nobody trust the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) spokesperson based on what they say in a press conference? The recent announcement of seat sharing between AAP and the Congress in Delhi serves as a classic example. Both parties have agreed to contest together with a 4-3 formula, wherein AAP will contest on four seats and the Congress on three.
While this arrangement was widely expected, last week, out of nowhere, AAP's senior leader and general secretary (organisation), Sandeep Pathak, who also happens to be a Rajya Sabha member, held a press conference, wherein he stated that the Congress did not deserve to receive a single seat. He cited the party's lack of MLAs in Delhi and a limited number of councillors. Such a statement from a senior functionary of a political party engaged in serious seat-sharing talks was bizarre and could have potentially soured relations between the two parties or led to feelings of humiliation on the part of the Congress. However, the Congress ultimately accepted the arrangement, albeit reluctantly.
Brinkmanship has become the hallmark of AAP, which has developed a new technique that's akin to guerrilla warfare. However, for a party that was once considered a viable alternative to the Congress at the national level and currently governs two states, a more mature approach is expected, especially when engaging in serious discussions with other political entities. The single statement made by Pathak could have sparked animosity between the two parties. If AAP was indeed serious about its stance, it would not have conceded three seats to the Congress. The question arises: why did AAP exhibit such magnanimity? Did it backtrack on its earlier statement, or was it not serious about it to begin with? Such inconsistencies raise doubts about the reliability of AAP's statements and the likelihood of it reneging on........