Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav declared on Saturday that the Congress party would contest 11 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. However, sources indicate that the Congress has not agreed to this arrangement.
Akhilesh Yadav expressed optimism about the alliance, stating, "Our friendly alliance with Congress is off to a good start with 11 strong seats. This positive trend will continue, and the 'India' team and 'PDA' strategy will make history," he said.
Sources reveal that the Congress leadership in the state has not approved of the deal, asserting that the decision was made unilaterally by Akhilesh Yadav, not by the Congress.
Earlier reports suggested that Congress aimed to contest 50 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In response to Congress leaders rejecting the proposed 11-seat alliance, the Samajwadi Party clarified that it was a suggestion and could be expanded if Congress provided candidates with the potential to win more seats.
In a recent interview with India Today, Akhilesh Yadav criticized Congress for not displaying the necessary enthusiasm in discussions with alliance partners within the INDIA bloc. He emphasized, "Congress should have shown more enthusiasm. The level of engagement required for the INDIA alliance was lacking."
Akhilesh Yadav's announcement on seat distribution follows the recent rejections of alliance proposals by the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab for the 2024 polls.
