Congress demand down to 21 seats in UP

NEW DELHI: Anxious to strike a political deal with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has downgraded its stakes to 21 seats. The Samajwadi Party, however, is willing to part with only 17.

At a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday night, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and general secretary Amar Singh conveyed their inability to concede to the Congress demand for 25 seats.

Even as the seat sharing talks were on, the Samajwadi Party announced its 63rd candidate for the state. Bahujan Samaj Party MP representing Faizabad, Mitrasen Yadav, is the Samjawadi Party candidate for the 63rd seat. ���We have done what we have to do. Now it is for the Congress to take a call,��� said Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said his party leadership has conveyed to the Samajwadi Party terms of the alliance. However, he was not willing to divulge details.

The fact that both sides still remain engaged in discussion suggests that the last word on the alliance has not been uttered. Congress decimation in the just-held Badohi by-poll has made it all the more necessary for it to do business with SP.

Congress attempts to highlight the SP tie-up with Kalyan Singh did not work. In the constituency which accounts for 55,000 Muslims, the Congress could get only 2,275 votes.

On its part, SP has made it clear that the terms of alliance will be dictated by it. The party, in any case, has been keeping all options open with an eye on the possible post-poll flux.