Alliance with AAP will harm Congress, Sheila Dikshit writes to Rahul Gandhi

Days after she announced that the Indian National Congress will not tie-up with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit has written to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to make the party's stand clear on alliance with AAP so as to clear confusion among party workers.

In a letter written last week, Dikshit and working presidents Haroon Yusuf, Devender Yadav and Rajesh Lilothia protested a recent phone survey to gauge workers' mood on the alliance.

Dikshit had opposed the survey, saying it was "overriding" Gandhi's decision that the Delhi Congress was against the alliance.Earlier this month, Dikshit, after meeting Gandhi, had claimed that there was unanimity in the party against an alliance with the AAP.

However, opinion seems to be divided in the Congress over the issue. Many believe that it is necessary to have an alliance to take on the BJP as the saffron party is upbeat after air strikes by the Modi government following the Pulwama terror attack.

However, the opponents of the alliance in the party believe that the move will be "suicidal" as the Congress has to face the Delhi Assembly polls early next year and its main rival will be the ruling AAP.