Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi
On Wednesday, Akhilesh Yadav hinted that discussions regarding seat-sharing with the Congress were progressing positively, affirming the solidity of the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh. The negotiations’ uncertainty was resolved following a phone conversation between Akhilesh and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra earlier that day. It’s anticipated that the Congress will vie for 7 seats in the state. A joint press conference by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party is scheduled today in Lucknow to announce the finalized seat-sharing agreement.
Akhilesh Yadav on Congress
Akhilesh had previously proposed a total of 17 seats to the Congress, even setting a request that he would abstain from joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra until the offer was accepted. This figure was a step up from his initial offer of 11 seats, which was later raised to 15 before settling at 17.
Akhilesh reassured on Wednesday that there were no conflicts, expressing confidence that clarity would soon prevail. He affirmed the Samajwadi Party’s intention to contest as many seats as possible, stating, “All is well that ends well.”
Uttar Pradesh boasts 80 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the Samajwadi Party having already announced 31 candidates. Notably, Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal Yadav has been nominated to contest from the Budaun parliamentary constituency. Other candidates include Surendra Singh Patel from Varanasi, Iqra Hasan from Kairana, Praveen Singh Aron from Bareilly, and Ajendra Singh Rajput from Hamirpur. The SP’s initial list featured Dharmendra Yadav, the son of Abhay Ram Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger brother, contesting from Budaun.
Priyanka Gandhi’s involvement in the seat-sharing negotiations coincides with speculation surrounding her potential Lok Sabha debut from Raibareli, her mother Sonia Gandhi’s former constituency.
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