Congress contested Delhi polls to ensure BJP's win, poured in crores of rupees: AAP

New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that Congress colluded with BJP in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections and poured in crores of rupees without running any ground campaign and worked to ensure AAP's defeat.

There was no immediate response available from Congress over the accusations.

Addressing a press conference, AAP's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said the disclosure by the state Congress leadership confirmed what his party had long suspected — that Congress contested the polls not to win, but to make BJP victorious.

He alleged that the Congress targeted every senior AAP leader, spent about Rs 46 crore, including Rs 44 crore in cash, and yet failed to open its account. "Normally, people guess one party is supporting another. But this time, it has been admitted that Congress deliberately worked to ensure BJP's win in Delhi. Even intellectual Congress supporters should question what their party is doing," he said.

Bharadwaj further claimed that the Congress high command, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, approved the decision during its central election committee meetings. "Congress was already at zero in Delhi, and even after spending crores, it remained at zero," he remarked.

On the funding issue, he said AAP contested the election with Rs 14 crore, BJP with Rs 57 crore, while Congress spent over Rs 46 crore, most of it in cash. "When AAP received Rs 1 crore by cheque, the prime minister made it a big issue. But when Congress collected Rs 44 crore in cash, there was complete silence," he alleged and demanded a probe. Just as the BJP captured power riding on regional parties, similarly, Congress thinks it can crush regional parties and capture power, Bharadwaj alleged.

"In Bihar, the voters, cadre, and flag-bearers belong to Tejashwi Yadav, but free marketing is being done for Rahul Gandhi. On the ground, Congress has no cadre, no polling agents, yet the slogan raised is 'Zindabad Rahul Gandhi,'" he added.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Atishi also accused Congress of helping the BJP, saying the two parties maintained "friendship behind the scenes" while pretending to fight in public.

In the February 8 polls, BJP returned to power in Delhi after 26 years, winning 48 of 70 seats. AAP secured 22, while Congress drew a blank. PTI MHS HIG