Congress leaves 7 seats for SP-BSP, RLD in UP, forges alliance with JAP, Mahan Dal

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Mar 17 (ANI): The Congress party on Sunday announced to leave seven Lok Sabha seats for Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in Uttar Pradesh, where 80 seats are at stake.
Talking to media persons here, UP Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar said: “We are leaving seven seats vacant for SP, BSP, and RLD. These are Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and the seats from where Mayawati ji, RLD’s Jayant ji and Ajit Singh will contest ensuing Lok Sabha election.”
“We have also decided to give two seats to the Apna Dal—Gonda and Pilibhit,” said Babbar, adding that the Congress party would chalk out a plan to work with the Mahan Dal as they have agreed to contest on the Congress symbol.
“We had talked to Mahan Dal earlier. They had said they were fine with whatever seats we give them. All they wanted was to contest the Vidhan Sabha election. For the Lok Sabha elections, they had said that they would contest on our symbol. We will find out a way to work with them.”
It is worth mentioning that SP, BSP, and RLD have forged an alliance to take on the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the state. SP president Akhilesh Yadav had, however, claimed that the Congress party is with the SP-BSP alliance in UP. SP-BSP has left Rae Bareli and Amethi seats for the Congress.
As per the seat-sharing agreement, SP is contesting 37 seats and BSP 38. Three seats have been given to the RLD--Mathura, Muzaffarpur, and Baghpat.
Babbar also said the Congress party has reached an agreement on seven seats with the Jan Adhikar party (JAP). “Out of those seven, JAP will fight on five and we will fight on two seats,” he said.
Talking about Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s proposed visit to the state, Babbar said that necessary no objection certificates (NOCs) have been obtained for Priyanka Gandhi’s tour.
“We have obtained NOCs from many departments and some other clearances are pending. She will be visiting the places that have been finalised,” he said.
Babbar also said Priyanka Gandhi is in favour of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad contesting from Varanasi, the Lok Sabha seat currently held by Prime Minister
Uttar Pradesh will go to polls during all seven phases of the election to be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes will be done on May 23.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, NDA had won 73 seats in the state. SP had got just five seats, while BSP drew a blank. (ANI)