Why Akhilesh Yadav wants INDIA candidates to fight UP bypolls on cycle symbol

UP bypolls: Sources said political experts had predicted that the Congress wouldn't be able to win Ghaziabad Sadar and Khair, the two seats which the BJP won earlier, and the party wasn't keen to contest the bypolls after not getting their desired seats.

In Short

• Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav held late-night talks on seat-sharing
• Congress was keen to contest from Meerapur and Phulpur seats
• UP bypolls to be held on November 13, counting on November 23

Rahul Gandhi told Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in a late-night conversation that the Congress would not contest any seat for the Uttar Pradesh bypolls before the latter announced that all INDIA bloc candidates would fight on cycle symbol on all nine seats, sources told India Today TV.

The cycle is the electoral symbol of the Samajwadi Party.

According to sources, the Congress was not keen to try its luck from Ghaziabad Sadar and Khair. Political pundits had predicted that it would be impossible for the grand old party to win both seats as the BJP had won from there many times in the past.

The Congress believed that winning both seats seemed difficult for the party and felt that it was better to leave them to the Samajwadi Party.

Congress's UP leadership had indicated earlier that they would not contest the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh if they did not get Phulpur and Meerapur seats.

The Congress had originally demanded five of 10 Assembly seats (including Milkipur). The Samajwadi Party, however, last week said the Congress had agreed to contest on two seats, Ghaziabad and Khair, leaving the rest to the Akhilesh Yadav-led party. But, the Congress was apparently upset with the Samajwadi Party's two-seat offer, sources said earlier.

Sources said that Akhilesh Yadav had already fielded Muslim candidates on the two seats demanded by the Congress - Meerapur and Phulpur. In such a situation, not contesting the bye-election seemed a better option for the Congress, they added.

After returning from Wayanad where his sister is contesting for the Lok Sabha bypolls there, Rahul Gandhi spoke to Akhilesh Yadav about the seat-sharing differences, following which the Samajwadi Party chief made the announcement on X, according to sources.

"The Congress and the Samajwadi Party are united and stand shoulder to shoulder for a big victory. INDIA bloc is going to write a new chapter of victory in this by-election," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted on Wednesday night, adding that it was not about seats, but about winning.

He said, "The Samajwadi Party's strength has increased manifold with the support of Congress's top leadership and booth-level workers. With this unprecedented cooperation and support, every worker of the INDIA bloc in all the nine Assembly seats has been filled with new energy with the resolve to win."

He said the alliance's decision was not informed by any seat-sharing math but its pursuit of victory.

Bypolls will be held on November 13 on nine seats - Katehari (Ambedkar Nagar), Karhal (Mainpuri), Meerapur (Muzaffarnagar), Ghaziabad, Majhawan (Mirzapur), Sishamau (Kanpur city), Khair (Aligarh), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad). The Election Commission did not announce any date for bypolls on Milkipur (Ayodhya) due to a pending election petition.

Eight of these seats fell vacant after their MLAs were elected as MPs in the Lok Sabha, while a bypoll will be held on the Sisamau seat due to the disqualification of Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.

The last date for filing nominations is October 25. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

(with inputs from PTI)