Alliance with Congress intact, says Akhilesh Yadav after SP announces UP bypoll candidates

The INDIA bloc gained momentum in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with unexpectedly strong results.

Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said his party’s alliance with the Congress will continue.

His comment came day after a day after the SP unilaterally announced six of the 10 candidates for the assembly bypolls in the state. The Congress reportedly wanted to contest five of these six seats.

Akhilesh made the remark while paying tribute to former Uttar Pradesh CM Mulayam Singh Yadav on his death anniversary, in Etawah.

“It is not time to discuss anything political today, but the INDIA alliance is intact in UP (Uttar Pradesh)...Samajwadi Party and Congress will be in alliance in Uttar Pradesh. ...we will discuss other political issues next time,” said Yadav as quoted by Hindustan Times.

State Congress chief Ajay Rai said Akhilesh Yadav echoed them in saying the INDIA bloc will remain together. “Both SP and Congress will contest the elections together. ...there are some ups and downs everywhere. Earlier, we demanded five seats, but we may get four. This does not mean that the alliance will be broken. The Congress will make announcements about the remaining...[bypoll candidates]...shortly.”

UP Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey on Wednesday said the Party had no information on SP fielding candidates. "...It is true, no information was given to us about it. There has been no discussion with the coordination committee of the INDIA alliance yet...As far as the announcement of seats and contesting elections is concerned, whatever decision the Coordination Committee of INDIA alliance takes, it will be accepted by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. We are not overconfident in Uttar Pradesh but are fully confident and due to this, along with strengthening and empowering the organization, the work of election preparation has also started. Possibilities (of alliance) always remain till the end, it cannot be denied,” Pandey told ANI.