Congress opts out of Uttar Pradesh race, throws weight behind Samajwadi Party

After its ally Samajwadi Party refused to accept its wish list of seats, the Congress on Friday announced its decision to opt out of the contests in the closely-watched nine assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and unconditionally extended support to the SP nominees. While Congress justified the decision by saying it was aimed to avert the split of anti-BJP votes and "to save the Constitution", it is widely seen as the Congress leadership acknowledging the party's lack of political muscle to either pressurise the SP or opt for a solo fight in UP.

The SP playing hardball with ally Congress, contrasts with Akhilesh Yadav's party seeking more seats from Congress in Haryana and Maharashtra even while threatening to field candidates if its demands were not met.

"In the current political and social tension in UP, and given the goal with which the INDIA bloc was formed and the way we fought the Lok Sabha elections, the time now is not about organisation and party but to protect the Constitution and social brotherhood. Therefore, we have decided that in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress won't field its candidates in the by-elections and we will help the candidates of the Samajwadi Party, the INDIA bloc to win...," said Avinash Pandey, AICC general secretary (in-charge of UP) at an official presser in Delhi with PCC chief Ajay Rai after they discussed the matter with the AICC brass.


Asked whether Rahul Gandhi will campaign along with Yadav in these by-polls, Pandey said the leaders and workers of the Congress will work in full strength for SP nominees. He disagreed with the charges that the Congress has "surrendered" to the SP.

While the Congress had been seeking four seats, the SP first went ahead and announced its candidates for six of the nine assembly seats. When Congress downgraded its demand to three, SP offered Ghaziabad (sitting seat of BJP) and Mirapur (RLD sitting seat), where the party is weak. As Congress leadership squirmed, Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday spoke of "INDIA bloc" contesting all nine seats in (SP's) "cycle symbol".