Samajwadi Party offers 11 of 80 LS seats in UP to Congress

New Delhi, January 27

The anti-BJP INDIA bloc, on the verge of decimation in Bihar, got life support in Uttar Pradesh with the dominant party of the state, the Samajwadi Party, agreeing to give 11 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats to ally Congress.

“Our cordial alliance with the Congress is off to a good start with 11 strong seats… This trend will move forward with the winning equation. The INDIA team and the PDA (pichhdey (backwards), Dalit (Scheduled Castes), Adivasi (tribals) strategy will change history,” Akhilesh Yadav announced on X.

Moments later, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said on behalf of the party, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was in direct touch with the SP chief.

“Talks are going on in a positive and constructive manner. When a seat-sharing formula is finalised, we will share the information. But today, Akhilesh ji has spoken on this that talks are on and he is happy with the talks. I would say from my party’s side, talks are on between Ashok Gehlot and Akhilesh Yadav ji and they will meet soon,” said Jairam as the allies move to salvage the alliance hit by All India Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and now JD (U)’s snubs in West Bengal, Punjab and Bihar, respectively.

The SP, Congress and the RLD plan to contest together in UP, where the Congress won just one seat (Sonia Gandhi’s Rae Bareli) in 2019.

Contesting in a pre-poll alliance that year, the SP was reduced to five seats and the BSP to 15. BSP’s Mayawati has announced a solo show in UP this time.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “Talks are going on in a positive and constructive manner. When a seat-sharing formula is finalised, we will share the information.”