by Ajay Kumar
Lucknow: As the by-elections approach, the Congress party finds itself in a challenging position in Uttar Pradesh. Congress has expressed a desire to contest five seats in collaboration with the Samajwadi Party (SP), but the SP has only allocated two seats for Congress. This development has led to speculation that Congress may decide not to contest at all.
Should Congress opt out of the two designated seats, the SP is prepared to field candidates in those constituencies. The SP has made its position clear, stating it will not compromise on its own seats and is ready to announce candidates for both the Khair and Ghaziabad seats if Congress declines to participate.
The SP has already declared candidates for several other seats, including Karhal, Milkipur, Katehari, Phoolpur, Majhwan, Sisamau, and Mirapur. Ongoing discussions regarding candidate selection for the Kundarki seat suggest that an announcement is imminent.
Amidst these developments, there are reports that Congress’s decision to potentially withdraw from contesting in Uttar Pradesh could be influenced by the outcomes of the 2022 assembly elections and its request for 12 seats from the SP in Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. SP spokesperson Udayveer Singh mentioned that some Congress officials have staked claims on the Majhwan and Phoolpur seats, adding complexity to the negotiations.
In the Mirzapur Lok Sabha elections, Dr. Ramesh Bind performed strongly, which led to the nomination of his daughter, Dr. Jyoti Bind, for that seat. The SP had finished in second place in this constituency during the 2022 elections.
The Phoolpur seat also saw a strong contender in Mustafa Siddiqui, who garnered over 100,000 votes, prompting the SP to prepare candidates in advance for these critical areas. Currently, the final decision rests with Congress regarding its participation in the Khair and Ghaziabad seats, but there has been no official statement from the Congress high command about withdrawing from these contests.
