Doors open for BSP in INDIA: Cong UP in-charge

February 18, 2024 17:55

INDIA bloc's doors are "open" for the BSP and it is up to Mayawati to decide if she wants to join the united fight against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls or not, Congress' Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande said on Sunday.

The Congress general secretary said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) very much wanted the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to join the bloc but Mayawati has already declared that she will go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls.

In an interview with PTI during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the politically-crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, Pande said the Congress is "wholeheartedly" supporting the Samajwadi Party and expressed confidence that a seat-sharing deal for the Lok Sabha polls in the state will be finalised "very soon" with remaining "confusions" dispelled.

He said the Congress-SP combine is in talks with small parties in Uttar Pradesh who would also be joining the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, and asserted that everything will be sorted out by the end of this month.

"Some of them are joining unconditionally and some have some expectations and therefore it is taking a little time (for finalising the seat-sharing in UP) but everything will be sorted out by the end of this month," he said.

On the seat-sharing talks with the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP, Pande said it is very much on positive lines and is in progress.

"When you go into a coalition you have to negotiate and rationalise who will be the best candidate who will give proper fight to the BJP. So we are analysing that and I am very much hopeful that very shortly the seat sharing formula will be finalised," he told PTI.

The Congress general secretary termed the exit of the Jayant Chaudhary-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) from the INDIA bloc as "very unfortunate" but exuded confidence that with the yatra also going through western Uttar Pradesh later this month, the opposition bloc would draw people's support from there.

Pointing out that a recalibration was needed in seat sharing after the RLD's exit, Pande said, "Whatever discussion we've had so far, definitely there will be some changes now to realign the whole thing and that is why it is taking some time but very soon we will come out jointly with the list of candidates."

Asked whether the BSP could still join the alliance in the future, Pande said, "INDIA bloc very much wanted the BSP to join this bloc but as you know Mayawati ji has already declared she will go it alone. It is up to her to join the INDIA bloc or not but INDIA bloc's doors are open for Mayawati ji if she wants she can very well join to fight the BJP unitedly."

On Sonia Gandhi announcing that she will not contest the Lok Sabha elections this time, he said she is still the pillar of the party and nothing has changed by her announcement.

"As you must have read her letter in which she has very categorically mentioned that she is very much part of UP and Raebareli and Amethi and she will continue to support as the family head, she will give the same kind of guidance to the people as she feels Raebareli is her home," Pande said.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Euro PIX: Malen brace as Dutch rout Romania to make last 8

Images from the Euro 2024 Round of 16 match between Romania and the Netherlands, at Munich Football Arena, Germany, on Tuesday.

LS passes resolution, condemns Opposition's disruptions during PM speech

The Lok Sabha passed a resolution on Tuesday condemning Opposition's disruptions during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address, with Union minister Rajnath Singh saying these actions 'shredded' parliamentary norms.

Women, children among 116 killed in stampede at UP satsang

The stampede took place as people headed home after a satsang in the district's Phulrai village, conducted by a preacher known as Bhole Baba. Twenty-seven bodies were brought to a hospital in neighbouring Etah district. Senior...

Indian hurdler Yarraji clinches historic Olympic berth

Several Indian athletes secured their spots for the upcoming Paris Olympics, with Jyothi Yarraji becoming the country's first female 100m hurdler to qualify.

'Teesri baar toh haare hain par mausi ji...': Modi invokes Sholay to mock Cong

In a scathing attack on the Congress in his address in the Lok Sabha, Modi also called it parjeevi (parasitic) party and claimed that it ate into the votes of its allies.