Rift over seat-sharing for 2027 UP elections? Akhilesh Yadav to skip crucial INDIA bloc meet
The SP has sent its Rajya Sabha MP Harendra Malik to represent the party at the Delhi meeting.
by Zee Media Bureau, Tarique Anwar · Zee NewsNew Delhi: The Samajwadi Party (SP) is set to send Rajya Sabha MP Harendra Malik to the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on September 30, with party chief Akhilesh Yadav and National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav staying away from the gathering. The meeting has been called to coordinate the Opposition's response to the Election Commission (EC) and issues related to voter-list revision (the Special Intensive Revision or SIR).
Although Akhilesh had already said he would not attend because of a prior engagement, his uncle (Ram Gopal) was initially named by the SP as its representative for the meeting. The party has now replaced him with Malik.
Rift over seat-sharing?
The development comes before the SP and the Congress begin seat-sharing talks for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The Congress has publicly put a number on its demand. UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said on September 28 that his party had candidates for all 403 assembly constituencies and would not contest fewer than 150 seats under an alliance.
“Seat-sharing will likely be finalised in the month of October. Congress has candidates available to contest all 403 seats. Under the alliance, the Congress party is entitled to get 50 per cent of the seats. The Congress will not contest fewer than 150 seats,” he said.
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He said his party has been working on the seat-sharing exercise for around two months. He expected the exercise to be finalised in October. On September 29, he said the talks would begin next month and that the party expected an arrangement based on “mutual respect” and an appropriate share of seats.
Though the SP has not publicly accepted the Congress formula, the two parties are preparing for negotiations. The party has been preparing for the elections and is said to have finalised candidates on more than 100 seats.
SP MP Ziaur Rahman Barq said his party is the principal Opposition force in Uttar Pradesh and that the Congress will need to show flexibility if the two parties are to contest the election together.
Ram Gopal’s nomination creates date clash
He is scheduled to be in Lucknow for his Rajya Sabha nomination, according to the information provided by the SP. Akhilesh is expected to attend the nomination process.
The Election Commission has scheduled biennial elections for 11 Rajya Sabha seats from the state and Uttarakhand for October 16. Ten of the seats are from Uttar Pradesh.
The terms of the sitting members end on November 25, while one UP seat fell vacant after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dinesh Sharma resigned following his appointment as lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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