This may affect the talks between the two parties for seat-sharing arrangement in the 2024 LS polls in UP. Both parties are part of the INDIA bloc.
Hours after the Congress announced its first list of 144 candidates for the MP assembly polls, SP declared its candidates for nine seats. “While the names of six candidates were declared in the earlier list, three names were added to it,” a source in the SP said.
The candidates announced by SP are Meera Dipak Yadav, Brij Gopal Patel alias Babloo Patel, DR Rahul, Vishwanath Singh Markan, Sharwan Kumar Singh Gond, Laxman Tewari, Manoj Yadav, Mahesh Sahare and Ram Pratap Singh Yadav — for the seats Niwari, Rajnagar, Bhander (reserved), Dhauhani (reserved), Chitarangi (reserved), Sirmour, Bijawar, Katangi and Sidhi — respectively.
What has apparently troubled the SP leaders is the Congress’ decision to field its candidate, Charan Singh Yadav, from the Bijawar seat.
The SP had won one seat — Bijawar in Chhatarpur district — in the 2018 MP elections.When the Congress fell short of a majority despite emerging as the single largest party in the previous polls, two BSP MLAs, one SP legislator and four Independents provided outside support to the then Kamal Nath-led government. After the fall of the Congress government headed by Kamal Nath, the SP MLA from Bijawar seat, Rajesh Shukla, had joined the BJP camp. SP has now fielded Manoj Yadav from the Bijawar seat.The issue of alliance among the partners of the INDIA bloc in the states, which are going to polls this year, was raised at the meeting of the alliance’s coordination committee on September 13 in New Delhi. “The issue for an alliance among the partners of the INDIA bloc in the states’ poll was raised at the meeting,” SP Rajya Sabha member Javed Ali told ET.
Sources said the SP was in touch with the Congress’ senior leaders for an alliance with it in the Madhya Pradesh polls. “However, Congress leaders in MP were not eager for an alliance with allies in the MP assembly polls,” a source in SP said.
Meanwhile, Kamal Nath on Monday said the focus of the INDIA bloc is on the LS elections and that it was fine if this coalition happens in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
