UP Seat Sharing Tensions
Samajwadi Party MP Claims Congress Relied Entirely on Alliance for UP Success
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Key Points
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Patel argued that Dalit voters had moved from Mayawati’s side to the SP, saying they saw little upliftment under Congress or the BJP and that the SP offered equal opportunities, including access to education.
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The SP’s 37-seat tally included Faizabad, the constituency that includes Ayodhya; the BJP won 33 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the NDA’s total was 36.
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The parties’ strength in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was markedly different at the time of the reporting: Congress had two MLAs and the SP had 101 in the 403-member assembly.
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Patel warned that if Congress contested outside an alliance, voters could view its candidates as trying to split votes, leaving the party with no seats; he said the SP would suffer no significant loss if an alliance did not happen.
A Samajwadi Party MP claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi feared contesting from Amethi in the 2024 elections and only ran from Raebareli after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav convinced him, news9live reported. Shiv Pal Singh Patel also said Congress would have won zero seats in Uttar Pradesh without the SP alliance, which he credited with delivering six seats to the party.
Patel used the 2024 results—SP won 37 seats, Congress won 6—as leverage for upcoming assembly election talks. He urged Congress to accept no more than 50 seats in any seat-sharing deal, warning the party could be reduced to zero if it contested alone, hindustantimes reported.
SP Credits Alliance for Congress's Six Seats
Patel argued that Congress would have won nothing in Uttar Pradesh without the SP partnership. He pointed to the SP's superior ground strength—101 of 403 state assembly seats versus Congress's mere 2—as proof that the alliance, not Congress's own pull, drove victories, rediff reported.
Rahul's Reluctance to Challenge BJP in Amethi
Patel claimed Gandhi worried about contesting Amethi, the seat he had held. Instead, Gandhi ran from Raebareli only after Yadav persuaded him, dailyexcelsior reported. The statement sparked a political row over Gandhi's electoral strategy and campaign confidence.
Dalit Voters Shift Away From Mayawati's Party
Patel claimed Dalit voters had moved from Mayawati's BSP to the SP, believing they saw little progress under Congress or the BJP. He said the SP offered equal opportunities and access to education. This voter shift, he argued, explained the SP's strong 37-seat performance in 2024.
Congress Faces Zero Seats Risk If Alliance Talks Collapse
Patel warned that if Congress contested separately in assembly elections, voters might see its candidates as vote-splitters, leaving the party with no seats. He insisted the SP would suffer no major damage if the alliance fell apart. The threat underscored the SP's negotiating advantage heading into seat-sharing discussions, hindustantimes reported.
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