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After Haryana shock, grand old party faces SP’s bypoll snub?

Oct 10, 2024 08:48 AM IST

But with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party announcing candidates on six out of 10 assembly seats, the game still remains open for the Congress on the remaining four seats in UP

LUCKNOW After the Congress’ Haryana debacle, the Samajwadi Party’s announcement of candidates for the UP assembly bypolls is apparently being seen as a silent snub to the grand old party’s demand for five seats in the state. The Congress had denied SP seats in the Haryana elections and the 2023 Madhya Pradesh polls.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said he won’t break the alliance and it was winnability that mattered more for him rather than the number of seats his party gets to contest (File Photo)
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said he won’t break the alliance and it was winnability that mattered more for him rather than the number of seats his party gets to contest (File Photo)

But with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party announcing candidates on six out of 10 assembly seats, the game still remains open for the Congress on the remaining four seats in UP.

“Haryana results have made one thing clear that we need to understand the ground realities and understand each other’s requirements for contesting elections in future. This is a lesson for the Congress as well as for us. The state leadership of Congress party is their internal issue and Congress leadership will take a call on this as well,” said Udaiveer Singh, former SP MLC.

“I think Haryana results will have a positive effect on the alliance. Now, all parties feel that it is time to help each other more...they should understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses on the ground to make each other stronger. Even Congress leaders are agreeing that at some places they took things for granted and were overconfident,” he added.

The SP had initially asked for 17 seats in Haryana, which was later brought down to 11, and finally it came down to three seats. But the Congress denied seats as their state leaders said SP didn’t have any base in Haryana and hence they won’t be giving any seat to the Samajwadi Party, said sources.

However, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said he won’t break the alliance and it was winnability that mattered more for him rather than the number of seats his party gets to contest. Yadav said his party was not looking for two or three seats, but working for a larger cause, which was to defeat the BJP in Haryana.

In a post on X, the SP chief wrote, “The unity of India Bloc is capable of writing history in Haryana elections. We have repeatedly said that it’s the winnability that matters and not the seats. Whichever party will be able to defeat the BJP in Haryana, we will stand with them with all our might.”

“It is not about fielding candidates on two-four seats, it is about understanding the pain and suffering of the people of Haryana under BJP regime. In the last 10 years, the BJP has pushed Haryana back by decades. We believe this is not the time for us or any other political partner of India Bloc to look for political opportunities, it is time for sacrifice,” he added.

During the Madhya Pradesh polls in 2023, the Congress had denied seats to the SP, causing much anger in the latter’s camp. It was believed that the alliance might be called off post MP elections, however things were contained and the SP-Congress became part of India bloc for 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

It will now be interesting to see how Congress party reacts to the ticket announcement by SP on six assembly seats for by-polls in UP. The Congress has been holding Samvidhan Bachao Sammelans in all 10 assembly seats lately.

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