Samajwadi Party’s Bold Move: A Snub to Congress?

A Strategic Announcement

In a strategic move that seems to snub its ally Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has announced its candidates for six of the ten Uttar Pradesh assembly seats set for by polls later this year. This announcement came just a day after the assembly election results in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir.

Congress has been vying for five of these by poll seats. However, the Election Commission has yet to release the election schedule.

SP’s Candidate Lineup

The constituencies for which the SP has named candidates include:

• Karhal (Mainpuri)
• Sisamau (Kanpur city)
• Milkipur (Ayodhya)
• Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar)
• Phulpur (Prayagraj)
• Majhwan (Mirzapur)

SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary stated that any potential seat-sharing arrangement with Congress will be determined by party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress’s Seat Demands

Interestingly, Congress is specifically seeking the Phulpur and Majhwan seats. They also want Ghaziabad, Khair (Aligarh), and Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar).

Additionally, a by poll is scheduled in Kundarki (Moradabad).

Recent Election Results

In the recent elections, Congress had hoped for a comeback in Haryana. They secured 37 out of 90 seats. Meanwhile, the BJP emerged victorious with 48 seats, marking its third consecutive term.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the NC–Congress alliance won 49 of the 90 seats. However, Congress itself managed to secure only six out of the 32 seats it contested.

The INDIA Bloc’s Stance

As part of the INDIA bloc, the SP intends to participate in the by polls alongside Congress.

When asked about the SP’s recent announcements, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said, “We have submitted a proposal to the high command to contest 5 of the 10 seats, which were previously held by the BJP“.

He chose not to elaborate further, stating, “I have said everything I needed to say”.

BJP’s Response

The BJP quickly seized the opportunity to critique the INDIA bloc’s developments. State spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi remarked that the SP‘s actions reflect the recent election results in Haryana.

He added, “The SP has shown Congress its place by announcing candidates for the seats they have claimed”.

Official Candidate List

According to the official list released by the SP, the nominees are as follows:

• Tej Pratap Yadav for Karhal
• Naseem Solanki for Sisamau
• Mustafa Siddiqui for Phulpur
• Ajit Prasad for Milkipur
• Shobhawati Verma for Katehari
• Jyoti Bind for Majhwan

Background on Vacant Seats

Nine of these seats became vacant after their respective MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha polls.

In Sisamau, the by poll is necessitated by the disqualification of SP MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.

Notably, Naseem Solanki is Irfan Solanki‘s wife. Shobhawati Verma is the wife of party MP Lalji Verma. Ajit Prasad is the son of Awadhesh Prasad, the MP for Faizabad (Ayodhya).

Additionally, Jyoti Bind is the daughter of party leader Ramesh Bind, who lost to Apna Dal (S) candidate Anupriya Patel in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Mirzapur.

Conclusion

This situation sets the stage for an intriguing political battle as the by polls approach. The dynamics between the SP and Congress are sure to remain a focal point in Uttar Pradesh politics.