New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party and the Congress have finally reached an agreement on seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, putting an end to days of uncertainty and disagreements between the two allies of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc.
The two parties are expected to reveal the specifics of the agreement later in the day. “All is well that ends well. Yes, there will be an alliance. There is no conflict. Everything will be out and clear soon.” said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday confirming the alliance.
The Samajwadi Party will contest from the maximum number of seats ‘as many as we can contest’, Akhilesh added.
This signifies the conclusion of animosity between the two parties, which previously led to Akhilesh abstaining from joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state. The SP chief had maintained that he would only participate in the yatra once a seat-sharing agreement was reached with the Congress. With Rahul still conducting his yatra in the state, it is probable that Akhilesh will eventually join him.
Apparently, the uncertainty surrounding the seat-sharing negotiations was resolved after Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra spoke with Akhilesh over the phone earlier this morning.
There are indications that Priyanka Gandhi will join Rahul Gandhi’s yatra starting from Moradabad on February 24.
It is believed that the negotiations progressed when the Congress gave up its claim of the Moradabad seat and instead requested Sitapur, Shravasti, and Varanasi.
Congress is now expected to contest in Amethi, Rae Bareli, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Maharajganj, Deoria, Bansgaon, Sitapur, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Jhansi, Barabanki, Fatehpur Sikri, Saharanpur, and Mathura seats.
Out of 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, the SP has so far declared candidates for 31 seats. In the most recent candidate announcement, Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal Yadav has been nominated by the party to contest the Budaun parliamentary constituency.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party formed an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and secured victory in 5 seats. The Congress, on the other hand, managed to secure victory in only one seat – Rae Bareli, which was retained by Sonia Gandhi. The grand old party faced a significant setback as it lost its stronghold of Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi was defeated by Bharatiya Janata Party’s Smriti Irani.
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