New Delhi witnessed a significant political development on Tuesday as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) extended an alliance offer to the Congress, just days after declaring its intention to contest all 13 seats in Punjab. Despite the gesture, the offer was accompanied by a sharp critique, with Arvind Kejriwal's party asserting that the Congress, on merit, does not deserve even a single seat in the national capital.

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak presented the alliance proposal, suggesting that the Congress should vie for just one of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, while the ruling party would contest the remaining six. Pathak emphasized the lack of merit for the Congress, stating, "On a merit basis, Congress party does not deserve even a single seat in Delhi, but keeping in mind the 'dharma of alliance,' we are offering them one seat in Delhi. We propose the Congress party to fight on 1 seat and AAP on 6 seats."

He further highlighted the Congress's minimal presence, stating, "Congress has zero Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, zero seats in Delhi assembly. Out of 250 wards, the Congress won only 9 seats in the (2022) MCD election. Even on a merit basis, the Congress party does not deserve a single seat according to the available data." Despite these statistics, Pathak stressed the importance of alliance principles and respect, indicating the party's willingness to offer a seat.

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"We are not announcing candidates today. I hope that seat-sharing talks for Delhi are finalized soon so we can get to work. If no conclusion is made soon, in the next few days, we will announce candidates for the six seats and start our work," he added.

In the 2019 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a clean sweep, claiming victory in all seven seats. The Congress emerged as the runners-up with over 22 percent of the votes, while the AAP secured the third position.

Since then, AAP has demonstrated significant electoral success in both Delhi and Punjab. The party triumphed over the BJP and the Congress in the Delhi Assembly elections and municipal polls. Additionally, AAP ousted the Congress government in Punjab, establishing its dominance in the region.

Notably, AAP and the Congress are allies in the INDIA bloc and have engaged in discussions regarding seat-sharing agreements in both Punjab and Delhi. Despite these negotiations, their respective state units have exhibited reluctance in forming an alliance, complicating the path to a unified front.