Lucknow: A day after the Haryana results were declared, signs of discord have surfaced within the INDIA alliance in Uttar Pradesh with the Samajwadi Party unilaterally announcing its candidates for six of the ten upcoming assembly by-elections.
The SP's move has sparked speculation about the future of its alliance with the Congress, which had reportedly sought five seats. The announcement suggests that the SP may have shelved Congress’s seat-sharing proposal. The announcement came as Congress's Uttar Pradesh in-charge, Avinash Pandey, admitted that SP had not taken the party into confidence.
"Still, we are hopeful that an alliance will be formed, and the two parties will contest the by-elections as allies," Pandey remarked.
Proposal Given By Ajay Rai, UP Congress President
Earlier, Ajay Rai, UP Congress president, had proposed that the party contest five seats: Majhwan, Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Khair, and Meerapur—seats currently held by the BJP after the 2022 assembly elections. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary emphasized that seat-sharing decisions would ultimately be taken by Akhilesh Yadav. Speaking to this reporter, a senior SP leader pointed out that the Haryana results clearly show Congress is rapidly losing its base. He called on Congress to drop its rigid stance on seat-sharing and accept the SP’s offer.
"The fact is, Congress doesn't have strong leaders to contest elections," the leader said. "Even in Jammu & Kashmir, while Congress claims victory, it actually won only 6 out of the 49 seats secured by the alliance. We’ve seen a similar situation in Uttar Pradesh."
Political analyst Rajesh N. Bajpayee echoed this sentiment, noting that Congress has historically struggled to make a significant impact in UP. In the last state elections, Congress managed only six seats, largely because of its alliance with the SP. Without this partnership, the party risks fading into oblivion.
“The Haryana outcome is crucial because it highlights Congress’s diminishing ability to stand independently. With no government in Haryana, Congress has lost its bargaining power,” Bajpayee remarked.
About The Upcoming By-Elections In Uttar Pradesh
The upcoming by-elections in UP are more than just a local contest; they have national import as a litmus test for the opposition’s INDIA alliance, formed to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP candidates: The BJP core committee meanwhile met under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to finalize its candidates for nine of the ten by-election seats. The meeting -- attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhary -- shortlisted 27 potential candidates.
In addition to finalizing the candidates, the BJP discussed campaign strategies and ways to strengthen coordination between the party's organizational framework and the state government. During the meeting, it was decided that the Meerapur seat would be allocated to the BJP's ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). However, discussions are on regarding the allocation of seats to the Nishad Party, with uncertainty over whether Nishad Party President Sanjay Nishad will receive a seat.
The upcoming by-elections are seen as a crucial test for the INDIA alliance in Uttar Pradesh, and the shifting dynamics between the SP and Congress will play a pivotal role in the political landscape ahead of the 2024 general elections.