‘Jugalbandi With BJP’: AAP Targets Congress Over Rahul Gandhi's PM Residence Protest, Fuels Rift Buzz

Published 22 July 2026 · local

‘Jugalbandi With BJP’: AAP Targets Congress Over Rahul Gandhi's PM Residence Protest, Fuels Rift Buzz Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 11:29 IST AAP

‘Jugalbandi With BJP’: AAP Targets Congress Over Rahul Gandhi's PM Residence Protest, Fuels Rift Buzz Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 11:29 IST AAP leaders alleged that the Centre had not engaged with CJP during their protest, it responded quickly to the Congress protest by sending Union Minister Jitendra Singh. Rapid Read 'Modi Got Rahul to Weaken CJP Protest': AAP's Sanjay Singh Triggers Opposition War Delhi Protests: A political slugfest broke out within the Opposition on Tuesday after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeted Rahul Gandhi’s protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence and accused the grand old party of weakening the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) agitation and acting in tandem with the BJP. The row began after Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior leaders, staged a dharna near the Prime Minister’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over police action against students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak. What AAP Leaders Said? AAP leaders alleged that while the Centre had not engaged with Sonam Wangchuk and the CJP during their weeks-long protest at Jantar Mantar, it responded quickly to the Congress protest by sending Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh to meet Rahul Gandhi. Senior AAP leader Atishi described the Congress protest as a “jugalbandi" with the BJP. She questioned how Rahul Gandhi was “allowed" to stage a dharna outside the Prime Minister’s residence while, she claimed, the Centre had refused to engage with CJP supporters despite their month-long protest. “Also very interesting: the same Delhi Police that was not allowing CJP to move even 100 metres towards Parliament, allowed Rahul Gandhi to reach right outside PM Residence! Do we need any more evidence that Congress-BJP is one unit?" she said in a post on X.

Also very interesting: the same Delhi Police that was not allowing CJP to move even 100 metres towards Parliament, allowed Rahul Gandhi to reach right outside PM Residence!Do we need any more evidence that Congress-BJP is one unit? #BJPCongressEkHain — Atishi (@AtishiAAP) July 21, 2026 AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also accused Rahul Gandhi of weakening the students’ movement, claiming the Congress was diverting people away from the Jantar Mantar protest. “The Congress has been abusing the movement for a month; now @RahulGandhi ji is saying, “Don’t come to Jantar Mantar, join our dharna." Why does the Congress want to weaken the youth’s movement? Why doesn’t the Congress appeal to join the Jantar Mantar movement?" he said. देश के करोड़ों युवाओं के लिए @Wangchuk66 जी पिछले 23 दिनों से आमरण अनशन पर हैं।जंतर मंतर पर देश का युवा आंदोलन कर रहा है।20 जुलाई को युवाओं को बर्बरता पूर्वक पीटा गया।कॉंग्रेस एक महीने से आंदोलन को गाली दे रही है, अब @RahulGandhi जी कह रहे है “जंतर मंतर नहीं हमारे धरने में… pic.twitter.com/NNjoZJEFTr— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 21, 2026 Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj echoed the charge, alleging that Congress leaders and their supporters had been attempting to weaken the CJP movement from the beginning. Opposition Reacts The remarks drew sharp reactions from other Opposition leaders. Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad criticised Sanjay Singh’s comments, saying, “This was not expected from you… You have shamed our friendship." Congress leader Srinivas BV also targeted Singh, asking, “Why are you fuming? Did Malviya write this tweet or Chadha?" in an apparent reference to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya and AAP MP Raghav Chadha. Congress MP Jebi Mather demanded an apology from Sanjay Singh, saying his remarks were “against the spirit of the Opposition." She said the Congress had stood by Singh during his suspension from Parliament and accused the AAP of undermining opposition unity while the Congress was fighting the BJP over the students’ issue.