The election campaign to be held by Priyanka Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Amethi has been keeping the local Congress workers on the tenterhooks.

The earlier plan to reach Amethi on February 13&nbsp;and begin the campaign the next day&nbsp;has been delayed due to complications. Sources say that the decision to reschedule the dates took place after Priyanka received a different feedback from local Congress workers.

Sources to WION also confirmed that there are three&nbsp;seats in the family stronghold which will be contested by both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, which has complicated the programme further.

&ldquo;How can you expect our leader not to campaign for the Congress candidates even if they are engaged in a friendly fight,&rdquo; said a source.

Local leaders also confided to WION that they suspect that Mulayam Singh Yadav also intends to campaign in the Gandhi borough.

Some leaders in Rae Bareli&nbsp;say that that alliance has benefitted the Congress through the state but hasn&rsquo;t helped them in the constituencies of Rae Bareli&nbsp;and Amethi.

It is because of these considerations that Priyanka Gandhi&#39;s final programme&nbsp;is getting delayed.

The feeling in the local unit is that since couple of expelled SP leaders are also contesting elections on different symbols, they may spoil the chance of Congress candidates, which would reflect badly on Priyanka.

One of the political aides close to Priyanka also suggested that they are ready to campaign in the districts without her but the biggest worry is that lack of clarity has stalled their own local campaign.

On top of it, Priyanka is also more keen on workers&#39; meet instead of door-to-door campaigning which is being opposed by the local workers. Sources say that local workers want Priyanka campaign widely and hold public rallies. &nbsp;

Lastly, there is also an element of wariness&nbsp;in the Congress ranks about the perils of overexposing Priyanka in Uttar Pradesh so that the mistake of 2012 is not repeated.

Priyanka is expected to contest Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and Congress till then would not like to show its hand. So a limited, defined and short campaign burst is being expected from her&nbsp;this time around which would be different from 2012 where she held more than 200 nukkad sabhas (public campaigning) in both the constituencies.

(WION)

Priyanka Gandhi was earlier scheduled to campaign in the Congress borough, but SP's presence there has complicated matters

The election campaign to be held by Priyanka Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Amethi has been keeping the local Congress workers on the tenterhooks. The earlier plan to reach Amethi on February 13 and begin the campaign the next day has been delayed due to complications. Sources say that the decision to reschedule the dates took place after Priyanka received a different feedback from local Congress workers. Sources to WION also confirmed that there are three seats in the family stronghold which will be contested by both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, which has complicated the programme further. “How can you expect our leader not to campaign for the Congress candidates even if they are engaged in a friendly fight,” said a source. Local leaders also confided to WION that they suspect that Mulayam Singh Yadav also intends to campaign in the Gandhi borough. Some leaders in Rae Bareli say that that alliance has benefitted the Congress through the state but hasn’t helped them in the constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi. It is because of these considerations that Priyanka Gandhi's final programme is getting delayed. The feeling in the local unit is that since couple of expelled SP leaders are also contesting elections on different symbols, they may spoil the chance of Congress candidates, which would reflect badly on Priyanka. One of the political aides close to Priyanka also suggested that they are ready to campaign in the districts without her but the biggest worry is that lack of clarity has stalled their own local campaign. On top of it, Priyanka is also more keen on workers' meet instead of door-to-door campaigning which is being opposed by the local workers. Sources say that local workers want Priyanka campaign widely and hold public rallies. Lastly, there is also an element of wariness in the Congress ranks about the perils of overexposing Priyanka in Uttar Pradesh so that the mistake of 2012 is not repeated. Priyanka is expected to contest Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and Congress till then would not like to show its hand. So a limited, defined and short campaign burst is being expected from her this time around which would be different from 2012 where she held more than 200 nukkad sabhas (public campaigning) in both the constituencies. (WION)

India: Priyanka Gandhi's Uttar Pradesh poll campaign delayed over 'friendly' SP tussle

The decision of Samajwadi Party to give the Congress a paltry number of seats to fight from in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections has threatened the possibility of a pre-poll alliance between the two parties.

The Samajwadi Party, which is the ruling party of India&#39;s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has given the Congress only 54 Assembly seats to contest from. SP said the Congress might get an additional &quot;25 to 30 seats&quot;&nbsp;depending on further negotiations.

WION has learnt that the ruling party has pressured Congress to accommodate all other regional parties, mainly the Rashtriya Lok Dal, within its quota of 100 seats.&nbsp;

Highly-placed sources in the Congress party told WION that if the party alone is not given more seats, it would go &quot;solo&quot; in the upcoming polls.&nbsp;

Congress, the oldest political party in the country, has been angered further because SP has also&nbsp;decided to contest seats that were won by them in the previous election in 2012.

Ajay Maken, senior spokesperson of the Congress described the decision as &quot;unfortunate&quot;.

Such was the shock that it forced Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to recalibrate his strategy. Gandhi remained in close touch with his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra throughout the day to decide on future plan of action.

The next move will be key for Gandhi as there is&nbsp;tremendous pressure on him to contest a higher number of seats, a close aide to the vice-president said.&nbsp;

The feeling within the Congress is that if this alliance is accepted on current terms and conditions, it will wipe out the party&#39;s presence in the state, which is home to more than 200 million and if it were a country, it would be the biggest election this year.

For weeks, there were talks of Samajwadi Party, Congress and Rashtriya Lok Dal uniting to thwart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party&#39; chances of winning in the battleground state.&nbsp;

(WION)

WION understands the Congress will not unite with ruling Samajwadi Party if they get less than 100 seats. Right now, they have got 54 seats

The decision of Samajwadi Party to give the Congress a paltry number of seats to fight from in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections has threatened the possibility of a pre-poll alliance between the two parties. The Samajwadi Party, which is the ruling party of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has given the Congress only 54 Assembly seats to contest from. SP said the Congress might get an additional "25 to 30 seats" depending on further negotiations. WION has learnt that the ruling party has pressured Congress to accommodate all other regional parties, mainly the Rashtriya Lok Dal, within its quota of 100 seats. Highly-placed sources in the Congress party told WION that if the party alone is not given more seats, it would go "solo" in the upcoming polls. Congress, the oldest political party in the country, has been angered further because SP has also decided to contest seats that were won by them in the previous election in 2012. Ajay Maken, senior spokesperson of the Congress described the decision as "unfortunate". Such was the shock that it forced Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to recalibrate his strategy. Gandhi remained in close touch with his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra throughout the day to decide on future plan of action. The next move will be key for Gandhi as there is tremendous pressure on him to contest a higher number of seats, a close aide to the vice-president said. The feeling within the Congress is that if this alliance is accepted on current terms and conditions, it will wipe out the party's presence in the state, which is home to more than 200 million and if it were a country, it would be the biggest election this year. For weeks, there were talks of Samajwadi Party, Congress and Rashtriya Lok Dal uniting to thwart Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party' chances of winning in the battleground state. (WION)

Uttar Pradesh polls: Congress may go solo as Rahul Gandhi angry with SP's seat-sharing plan

Hours after Samajwadi Party (SP) de facto leader Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held their first joint press conference, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav said will not campaign for the party.

Mulayam Singh, who had resolved an inter-party feud with son Akhilesh over the distribution of seats this month, told ANI on Sunday he was against the alliance.

&quot;I will not go anywhere to campaign for this (SP-Congress) alliance. SP was capable enough to contest and win elections alone, there was no need for the alliance. I am against this alliance,&quot; the SP founder told ANI.

He seemed to be upset over the SP conceding 105 seats to the Congress, saying he was concerned about the political fate of party leaders who had lost their seats as a part of the alliance deal.

&quot;Our party leaders whose tickets have been cut, what will they do? They have lost their chance to contest elections for the next five years,&quot; Mulayam Singh Yadav said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressed their first joint conference after an alliance between their parties for the high-stakes state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The two leaders launched the campaign with the&nbsp;tagline&nbsp;&quot;UP favours this alliance (UP ko ye saath pasand hai).&quot; The press conference was followed by a road show in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow.

The two leaders displayed a show of solidarity, with Rahul Gandhi claiming that their relationship was not just political but also a personal one. The Congress vice-president had also called Akhilesh a &quot;good boy&quot; who wasn&#39;t &quot;allowed to work&quot;.

&quot;We are like two wheels of the same cycle - one of progress and one of prosperity. Cycle and hand is a great combination,&quot; Akhilesh had said.

Rahul Gandhi had also refused to reveal whether his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi or Mulayam Singh would campaign for the alliance, saying that campaign strategy would be divulged.

&quot;If we reveal anything now,&nbsp;no suspense will remain,&quot; Akhilesh had said when asked about the seat-sharing in the constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi, earlier a point of contention between the two parties. 
 
(WION with inputs from ANI)

The Samajwadi Party patriarch's remarks come soon after Akhilesh Yadav's joint press conference and show of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi

Hours after Samajwadi Party (SP) de facto leader Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held their first joint press conference, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav said will not campaign for the party. Mulayam Singh, who had resolved an inter-party feud with son Akhilesh over the distribution of seats this month, told ANI on Sunday he was against the alliance. "I will not go anywhere to campaign for this (SP-Congress) alliance. SP was capable enough to contest and win elections alone, there was no need for the alliance. I am against this alliance," the SP founder told ANI. He seemed to be upset over the SP conceding 105 seats to the Congress, saying he was concerned about the political fate of party leaders who had lost their seats as a part of the alliance deal. "Our party leaders whose tickets have been cut, what will they do? They have lost their chance to contest elections for the next five years," Mulayam Singh Yadav said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressed their first joint conference after an alliance between their parties for the high-stakes state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The two leaders launched the campaign with the tagline "UP favours this alliance (UP ko ye saath pasand hai)." The press conference was followed by a road show in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow. The two leaders displayed a show of solidarity, with Rahul Gandhi claiming that their relationship was not just political but also a personal one. The Congress vice-president had also called Akhilesh a "good boy" who wasn't "allowed to work". "We are like two wheels of the same cycle - one of progress and one of prosperity. Cycle and hand is a great combination," Akhilesh had said. Rahul Gandhi had also refused to reveal whether his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi or Mulayam Singh would campaign for the alliance, saying that campaign strategy would be divulged. "If we reveal anything now, no suspense will remain," Akhilesh had said when asked about the seat-sharing in the constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi, earlier a point of contention between the two parties. (WION with inputs from ANI)

Against Congress-SP alliance, won't campaign for them: Mulayam Singh

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India: Priyanka Gandhi's Uttar Pradesh poll campaign delayed over 'friendly' SP tussle

Uttar Pradesh polls: Congress may go solo as Rahul Gandhi angry with SP's seat-sharing plan

Against Congress-SP alliance, won't campaign for them: Mulayam Singh