New Delhi: Returning the favour to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, the Congress has decided not to field candidates on seats from where the regional giants have announced to contest elections.
The decision came months after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said in a joint press conference that they won’t field candidates in Rahul Gandhi’s constituency, Amethi, and Sonia Gandhi’s Raebareli seat.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, UP Congress chief Raj Babbar said, “We are leaving seven seats vacant for the SP, BSP and RLD. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and whichever seats Mayawatiji and RLD’s Jayant and Ajit Singh would contest from. We will also give two seats to Apna Dal — Gonda & Pilibhit.”
While SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will contest from Mainpuri, Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav is likely to be fielded from Kannauj.
The Firozabad parliamentary constituency is represented Mulayam Singh Yadav’s nephew and Ram Gopal Yadav’s son Akshay Yadav.
The Congress is also likely to leave out Azamgarh from where Akhilesh Yadav may contest.
“We had talked to Mahan Dal earlier. The party leadership had said it was fine with whatever seats we have to offer, but wanted to contest the Vidhan Sabha election. For the Lok Sabha election, Mahan Dal leaders have agreed to contest on our symbol. We'll find out a way to work with them,” the state Congress chief added.
Regarding tie-up with another regional ally, the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), Babbar said, “We have reached an agreement on seven seats with JAP. Of these, JAP will fight from five and we will fight from two.”
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