New Delhi: Fissures are deepening in the INDIA bloc as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) considers pushing the Congress party out of the opposition alliance for good. The trigger? Congress leader Ajay Maken’s scathing remarks about Arvind Kejriwal. Maken labeled the coalition a ‘mistake,’ blaming Congress’s support for Kejriwal’s short-lived 40-day government in 2013 for the party’s downfall in Delhi. The blame game has added yet another layer of drama to the already fragile alliance. 

Sources within AAP hinted on Thursday that the party is “deeply dissatisfied” with Congress leadership and plans to “consult” other coalition members about removing Congress from the INDIA alliance.

AAP’s latest actions come just as the Trinamool Congress escalates its criticism of Congress leadership. TMC had pointed fingers at Congress after its poor show in the Haryana and Maharashtra elections. Trinamool leaders proposed Mamata Banerjee as a replacement to lead the bloc.

The suggestion found backing from several parties. Adding to the intrigue, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined an AAP event in Delhi on December 16, signaling growing alignment within parts of the opposition.

Both Congress and AAP have opted for separate paths in the Delhi Assembly Election scheduled for February next year. During the campaign, however, the Congress party intensified its attacks on Kejriwal’s party. Maken accused AAP of coming to power riding on the Janlokpal agitation but failing to establish the anti-corruption ombudsman.