Arvind Kejriwal Supports Rahul Gandhi After Defamation Case Conviction

The Congress and the AAP have in the past avoided taking each other's side on various issues.

Showing a shift in its stance, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today openly supported Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he was sentenced to two years in jail in a defamation case and alleged a conspiracy was being hatched to "eliminate" non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them.

The Congress and the AAP have in the past avoided taking each other's side on various issues.

The grand old party did not support AAP when Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.

However, AAP's support for Rahul Gandhi has come at a time when Mr Kejriwal is learnt to be attempting to forge an alliance of "like-minded" parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year. Earlier this month, he had invited chief ministers of eight non-BJP, non-Congress ruled states for dinner and discussion over political issues.