Oppn alliance in UP faces setback as seat sharing talks stall

LUCKNOW: In a significant development preceding the Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh has encountered a major obstacle as seat-sharing negotiations between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress have nearly collapsed.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the SP and Congress have failed to reach an agreement on the allocation of seats, particularly concerning the constituencies of Amroha, Bijnor, and Moradabad, which Congress is adamant about securing, while the SP hesitates to concede. While there has been no official confirmation of the alliance’s termination. Congress state president Ajai Rai remarked: “I have not received any communication from the Samajwadi Party, so I cannot comment on whether the alliance is terminated. The final call is to be taken by the high command.” Earlier attempts at negotiation saw the SP propose allocating 17 seats to the Congress, following an initial offer of 11 seats. However, talks hit a snag after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav withdrew the offer, reportedly expressing dissatisfaction with the ongoing negotiations.

Speculation within the SP suggests that the Congress may be leaning towards forging an alliance with the BSP.