SP to contest 65 seats out of 80 in UP: Akhilesh

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has said that if the INDIA alliance materialises in Uttar Pradesh, his party would contest 65 of the 80 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and leave 15 for the alliance partners.

“The SP is prepared to contest all 80 LS seats in UP if INDIA partnership with the Congress stays, the SP would contest no less than 65 seats,” he said at a party meeting.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is an opposition front announced by the leaders of 28 parties to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against the ruling BJP.

In Uttar Pradesh, the INDIA bloc has four constituents - SP, Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (K).

“The SP is fully capable of defeating the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in UP single-handedly and had there not been dishonesty in elections in the state, the SP would have formed the government after the 2022 UP Assembly polls. Therefore, the party must ensure full alertness to foil any attempts of dishonesty in the LS polls,” said Yadav, according to party sources in the meeting.

Yadav said: “We only sought six seats from the Congress in MP where the SP is in a stronger position. But the Congress backtracked and fielded a candidate even on a seat that the SP won in the 2018 polls. We, too, will see when the LS polls come.”

Tensions erupted between two of the INDIA bloc partners last month when the SP accused the Congress of betrayal after the latter did not leave any seats for the former in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh polls. The SP later fielded candidates on 40 seats in MP.

Yadav also asked SP leaders and workers not to make any frivolous statements. He said: “Make statements as per the policies and directions of the national leadership. Do not engage in any groupism within the party, rather focus on strengthening the party at the booth and organisation levels.”

The SP chief also asked leaders and workers to work diligently to expose “the BJP’s lies and propaganda, and failure at all levels of governance.”

SP National General Secretary, Ramgopal Yadav, warned against any groupism within the party and said those who engage in any anti-party actives should promptly be shown the door.

SP National General Secretary Shivpal Yadav called upon the cadre to emphasise on coordination and cooperation to strengthen the party and oust the BJP government.

“There real fight will all be at the booth level. If we stay strong and alert at the booth level, no power can prevent the SP’s victory,” the leaders said.