The INDIA alliance was left on shaky ground this week as the Samajwadi Party failed to reach a seat-sharing deal in Madhya Pradesh. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has termed the Congress’ stand as a ‘betrayal’ and hinted at similar treatment from the other party in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the BJP leaders claimed that the row had shown the ‘real character of the Congress’.
“If Congress did not want to give seats (in Parliament), they should have said so earlier. Nowadays the SP only fights in seats where it has its own organization. Now, after Madhya Pradesh, I know that the INDIA alliance is for the national level (parliamentary) elections. If Congress continues to behave like this, who will support them? If we will fight against the BJP with confusion in our minds, we will not succeed,” Yadav said on Friday.
Congress UP unit chief Ajay Rai had earlier asked the SP to withdraw from Parliament in favor of the grand old party as the Akhilesh Yadav-led party, he said, has no base there had.
The SP chief said that despite the INDIA alliance formation, the SP strategy would be based on working for the PDA (Pichada, Dalit and Alpsankhyak).
Meanwhile, Congress leader Kamal Nath ruffled fresh feathers after he dodged questions on the issue and asked reporters to ‘forget Akhilesh Yadav’.
“His bhai chhodo Akhilesh Vakhilesh…The environment is very good. People call us and say that there is enthusiasm among people. We will win by an even better number than we expected,” he told reporters in Chhindwara.
“When elections are held, arguing about tickets is a normal thing. Everyone believes that the ticket should be given to the strongest participant. I think Akhilesh Yadav is one of the most important parts of the INDIA alliance and many from our party are in touch with him, there is nothing that cannot be resolved after having a discussion about it…” added Congress leader Supriya Shrinate to it.
(With input from agencies)
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Updated: Oct 20, 2023 7:02 PM IST
