Driving a hard bargain for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh amid friction between his party and the Congress, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said if the opposition alliance (INDIA bloc) materialises in the state, his party would contest on 65 seats and leave 15 for the alliance partners.
In UP, INDIA bloc has four constituents - SP, Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (K).
“The SP is prepared to contest all 80 LS seats in UP…if INDIA alliance partnership with the Congress stays, then the SP would contest no less than 65 seats,” said Yadav addressing the party’s newly constituted state executive committee’s first meeting at the SP state headquarters.
“The SP is fully capable of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in UP single-handedly...had there not been dishonesty in elections in the state, the SP would have formed the government after the 2022 UP assembly polls. Therefore, the party must ensure full alertness to foil any attempts of dishonesty in the LS polls,” said Yadav, according to party sources in the meeting.
Tensions erupted between the Congress and the SP amid the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, where the former did not share any seats with the SP. Consequently, the SP fielded candidates on 40 seats in MP without any alliance there.
Touching upon the issue, Yadav said: “We had only sought six seats from the Congress in MP where the SP is in a strong position. But the Congress backtracked after negotiations. They fielded a candidate even on the seat that the SP won in the 2018 MP assembly polls. We too will see (when the LS polls come).”
“We have fielded candidates in MP and we will also go there to campaign,” he said.
The meeting also passed resolutions against the BJP government in the state and at the centre. Asking SP leaders and workers not to make any frivolous statements, Yadav said: “Make statements as per the policies and directions of the national leadership. Do not engage in any groupism within the party, rather focus on strengthening the party at the booth and organisation levels.”
The SP chief also asked leaders and workers to work diligently to expose “the BJP’s lies and propaganda, and failure at all levels of governance.”
SP national general secretary, Ramgopal Yadav, warned against any groupism within the party and said those who engage in any anti-party actives should promptly be shown the door. SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav called upon the cadre to emphasise on coordination and cooperation to strengthen the party and oust the BJP government.
Increasing focus on booth management to counter any foul play during the LS polls, Akhilesh Yadav appointed assembly constituency-wise booth in-charges. “There real fight will all be at the booth level. If we stay strong and alert at the booth level, no power can prevent the SP’s victory.”
Nearly 300 members attended the meeting of the state executive that was reconstituted in August this year.
(With inputs from agencies)