Both the Congress-led UPA and the Samajwadi Party are likely to enter into an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
LUCKNOW: After reaching an understanding on the India-US nuclear deal, both the Congress-led UPA and the Samajwadi Party are likely to enter into an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
The Congress, trying hard to regain its lost ground in UP, finds the SP a potent ally not only for survival of the UPA government during the trust vote in Lok Sabha on the nuke issue but also for future tie-ups in the politically-crucial state.
Sources said informal talks between leaders of the two parties are on on the likelihood of an electoral alliance ahead of the General Election.
They said the Congress will not mind leaving around 50 seats for the Mulayam Singh-led SP while pressing for 27 to 30 seats for itself from Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha poll.
The sources said some seats may also be left for smaller parties like the Apna Dal, the Rashtriya Lok Dal and some UPA constituents.
Besides the nine Lok Sabha seats which the Congress had won in the last election, the party will stake its claim for some 20 more where its candidates have already completed the groundwork.
Congress leaders like Sanjay Singh, Harsh Vardhan Singh, Jagdambika Pal and Salman Khursheed are strong contenders for party tickets, the sources said.
Seats like Lalitpur, Pratapgarh and Farrukhabad, where the SP candidates had romped home in the previous election, could pose difficulties as some Congress leaders are eyeing for the same, the sources said.
They said the modalities for seat-sharing between the two parties in the state are yet to be worked out.
In case of an electoral alliance between the two parties, Muslims, which can play a crucial role in some 20 of the 80 seats up for grabs in the state, could see a division in their ranks.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}