Cong, Tikait reach seat-sharing pact

NEW DELHI: In a major boost to the party in Western Uttar Pradesh, Congress on Sunday announced seat-sharing arrangement with Bahujan Kisan Dal, a political wing of Mahender Singh Tikait-headed Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU). The announcement was made at a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters by UPCC chief Salman Khurshid and Rakesh Tikait, son of BKU chief Mahender Singh. BKD president Rajesh Singh Chauhan was also present on the occasion.

Affirming his faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, Tikait Junior said in fact the arrangement was finalised during the visit of the Congress MP last week at Muzaffarnagar under which the two parties will support stronger candidates of each other in the region.

Rakesh, who himself is contesting from Khatauli assembly seat, the strongest bastion of BKU’s Kisan movement launched by his party nearly three decades ago, said though his party has fielded 65 candidates, it was open “to withdraw” wherever Congress was in a stronger position.

The seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties came two days after Congress announcement that it will go it alone in the next month polls for the 403-assembly seats indicating that effort to form a party-led fourth front had floundered.

The party was talking with Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal and Jan Morcha and its allies led by former PM VP Singh and Raj Babbar. Tikait said though his party has already issued symbols to its 65 candidates, but seat sharing with Congress and withdrawal of certain candidates from some seats (where Congress is in stronger position) will not be a problem.

Congress has decided not to field any candidate against Rakesh Tikait at Khatauli. The candidates of two parties will be contesting on their own symbols. Expressing similar views, UPCC chief Khurshid said the party has decided to back BKD candidates on some seats where it think the Kisan Dal was in stronger position. However, Khurshid said though the arrangement came a little late, but other modalities, like seats to be contested by each party and campaign strategy, will be decided in due course of time.

Welcoming the arrangement, a visibly happy UPCC Chief said “Though talks were on between the two parties for long, but a decision was delayed.” However, he said the other modalities of seat sharing will be decided in due process.

He also hinted that Rahul Gandhi, the architect of this arrangement, will be visiting Muzaffarnagar once again and address a joint rally announcing the agreement. About the failure of the party’s talks on alliances with RLD and Jan Morcha, the UPCC chief said talks were on with these parties for long, but did not materialise due to obvious reasons including demand for huge number of seats

However, he clarified that the party’s top priority was its revival in the politically important state. “We are going with full determination to broaden Congress base in the state so that we can play a significant role in the formation of the next government,” the UPCC Chief said when asked about party’s agenda for the polls.

About post-poll tie-ups with like-minded secular parties in the state in the formation of a government, Khurshid said “We will think about alliances/post poll arrangements after return from the battle. It will be unfare to discuss these things at this juncture.”

If Gandhi’s security, considering his electioneering among people, was a concern for the party in the wake of SPG warning, he said definitely the party was concerned with the safety and security of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi.