BackUP polls: SP, Congress clinch pre-poll pact; announcement likely today
People aware of the development say the alliance between the two parties materialised after Congress president Sonia Gandhi intervened
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New Delhi: After days of hectic negotiations, the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday forged a pre-poll alliance to contest the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly polls together.
Queering the pitch for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the two parties on Sunday reached a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress likely to contest around 103 seats and the SP about 300.
The talks between top Congress and SP leaders had been going on for last several days but got delayed as the two parties engaged in tough bargain. People aware of the development also said the alliance materialised after Congress president Sonia Gandhi intervened.
According to them, top leaders of both the parties finalised the seat sharing arrangement late Saturday night and a formal announcement in this regard was likely to be made in Lucknow Sunday evening.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel had earlier tweeted, “Discussion was at highest level- CM (UP), GS I/C & Priyanka Gandhi."
There are 403 assembly seats in UP, election for which would be held in seven phases starting 11 February. The last phase of the poll would take place on 8 March. Counting would be held on 11 March.
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