SP’s Akhilesh Yadav shuns Rahul Gandhi’s march as deeper cracks appear in oppn INDIA bloc
Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party (SP), a major opposition party in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, dealt a big blow to Congress as it declared not to participate in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (Unite India Justice March).
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party will endorse and join the march only after a seat-sharing agreement is finalised with India’s biggest opposition party. Both SP and Congress are part of the opposition INDIA bloc, launched last year to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming general elections.
"Discussions are ongoing. Lists are coming from both sides. Once the seat allocation is finalised, the Samajwadi Party will join the Congress' Nyay Yatra," Akhilesh Yadav said.
Friction emerges between SP and Congress
India Today reported that de-facto Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is adamant about keeping certain seats, which has annoyed the SP chief.
Gandhi’s march is set to enter UP’s Rae Bareli, where Yadav had earlier said he would join.
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"The number of seats and the names of the seats had already been decided, but Rahul Gandhi is adamant on certain seats, causing a delay in finalising the alliance," a source was quoted as saying by India Today.
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As per reports, negotiations are underway between top leaders of Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, and SP but no final deal has been hammered out yet.
SP releases second list of candidates
Hours after shunning Gandhi’s march, the SP went on to release the second list of its 11 candidates for parliamentary elections.
Earlier, the party released its first list of 16 candidates on January 30.
The ongoing friction between SP and Congress further lays bare the challenges faced by the INDIA bloc, which is already grappling with a lack of consensus over seat sharing in states like Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab.
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West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee earlier said she won’t fight elections under the INDIA umbrella. Days later, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also declared to contest 13 seats alone and not partner with Congress.
(With inputs from agencies)